Book 1: Reveal Your Secrets
by WednesdayMorn
Summary: Isabella Prince was going to tell him she was pregnant, but Remus' harsh words drove her to keep quiet. Blinded by panic and hurt, she leaves him, and after 11 years of being apart, they're reunited by their daughter. A daughter which Remus Lupin never knew he had. Secrets were kept and made, but it's time to reveal them. [Part 1 of 5]
1. Goodbye

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing other than my original characters and anything you might not recognize.  
>Harry Potter and everything that pertains to it belongs to J. K. Rowling.<br>A mixture of the books and movies will be included in this story.

_No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><strong>October 31st, 1981<strong>

Isabella Eileen Prince paced the small apartment where she and her lover had spent the past year living together. It was a small apartment, of a single bedroom (which was also the living room), with a bathroom, kitchenette, fireplace, and closet. The walls were covered in yellowing wallpaper with a pattern of vines and roses, and the room was bare save for a small bed in the corner, and two chairs at opposite ends of a small circular table near the kitchenette. There was a single window near the dinner table, which had green curtains that were currently shut. It gave way to a dirty and poorly paved muggle street down below; the few street lamps that were working kept flickering on and off, casting the street with an eerie yellow glow.

Isabella had a hand on her barely bulging (and stealthily concealed with a jumper) abdomen, rubbing it in circles subconsciously as she kept glancing at a specific corner of the room. Her lover was shaking and had crumbled to the floor; his head was down and his sandy brown hair swept messily over his forehead.

Remus John Lupin had seen better days despite it all, yet on this Halloween evening, everything was falling apart.

"Remus, they're gone, aren't they?" Isabella whispered brokenly as she cautiously walked towards him, placing a hand on her lover's shoulder.

They'd been her friends, her best friends, and now they were gone…

With a gentle pull, Isabella managed to make Remus turn and look at her. His eyes were empty, welding up with tears of pain and loss. Isabella took in a deep breath, pulling Remus into her arms after sitting with him on the floor. It hurt her to see him like this, so broken and vulnerable.

Remus rested his head on Isabella's shoulder while he had both arms wrapped tightly around her middle, unaware of the small bulge on Isabella's abdomen.

He cried silently, his shoulders shaking as if he were going through his monthly transformation. All Isabella could do was hold him reassuringly, an arm wrapped around his shoulders to rub his arm while her other hand was tangled in his hair, soothing a headache she was sure he had.

"I should have been there," whispered Remus, his voice hoarse.

_You could have been killed as well, and then what would have become of me and your unborn child_, Isabella thought, though chose to remain silent, as Remus kept rambling softly.

"He killed them," he whispered. "Sirius served James and Lily to **Voldemort** on a silver platter… it's because of him that they—"

"Shh…," Isabella tried, kissing his temple, "stop talking and relax. The full moon is in a few nights and I don't want you weak for when we have to leave for the forest."

"B-but it's true," he kept on, "it is because of Sirius' big mouth that James and Lily are—"

"Remus, sweetheart," Isabella said softly, "don't torture your-self over this. James and Lily wouldn't want to see you like this**… ****_I _**don't want to see you like this."

Remus gave out a bitter laugh and pulled away from his lover's embrace, staring straight into her honey colored eyes and shaking his head.

He never understood why Isabella thought of him so highly. He was a disgrace to the Lupin name, a freak to modern wizarding society. Isabella was a mystery to him. He was blessed to be with her, he had to admit, though it was also a sin having someone as pure as Isabella be in love with the monster that he was.

"It amazes me that you're stubborn enough to stay in this relationship," Remus muttered, raising from the ground and patting down his brown trousers. "I don't understand why you put up with me."

_Not this again; not now_, Isabella thought, staring straight up at Remus, her hands on her lap, _why must your mood change at the most unconventional of moments?_

"I can't offer you anything, yet you're still here," Remus went on to say, pacing the room as his lover had been only moments before. "The Ministry won't allow witches and wizards to marry werewolves since we now have been classified as _beasts_, nor can I at least indulge in buying you the simplest of gifts for special occasions because of my unsteady income. Can you see that it is not right to be with me? You won't gain anything from this relationship—"

"None of that matter to me," Isabella said softly, getting off the floor to stand on her feet, "I love you, and you love me. That's **all** that matters."

"With me you're in danger 100% of the time," Remus sighed, "You need someone who will make you happy and who can give you everything that you deserve. Think of what might happen if... no."

Remus sighed once more and stopped pacing, looking straight into the fireplace of the small apartment. It pained him to say what might happen for he knew it was the inevitable truth. He just kept his eyes glued to the small fire, ignoring with all his might the pleading look his lover was giving him from across the room.

"What might happen, Remus?" Isabella asked cautiously, wrapping her arms around herself. "Tell me."

With one final sigh, Remus turned to Isabella and gave her a sad look, a look that a lover would give his mate if one of the two were dying. He looked so broken, so confused and lost. He was fighting an internal battle with the wolf that resided deep within him, doing all in his power to detach the protective beast away from his mate, from Isabella.

Remus needed to break away from Isabella so that she could live her life, and not be held back by a no-body like him.

Isabella wanted to run to Remus and wrap him in her arms, she wanted to pull him close to her and to tell him that in spite of all the horrible things that were happening that there was a small window of hope for them. She wanted desperately to tell him that she was pregnant and that everything would be brighter for them, yet what he said next killed her inside…

"We can never be the happy couple that James and Lily were. I can never give you what they gave each other… what they **made** together."

"Remus, but I'm—"

"We cannot have children Isabella... Our love was never meant to be. We can never be happy!"

Isabella felt tears run down her cheeks, a sob escaping her lips. So this was it? This was how things were going to be… Remus John Lupin, the bravest man she'd ever known, the man she'd kill and die for, was giving up?

Isabella couldn't help but nod, looking down at the ground and un-wrapping her arms from around herself, sliding a hand on her abdomen. In that moment she cursed herself for not having had the guts to tell Remus sooner that she was expecting. Maybe it would have stopped all this…

"Remus…," whispered Isabella. "Is it over—you and I? Are we done?"

Remus sighed, saying, "I'm not sure… what I mean is—this relationship—"

"Forget it, Remus," Isabella mumbled, her voice wavering, "we're both out of our minds and not thinking straight. We've had too much excitement for one night. We'll talk about this seriously in the morning. For now let us just… let's just enjoy what we have before it's too late."

Remus sighed, losing the battle with his inner wolf and striding over to scoop Isabella in his arms, holding her as if his very life depended on it. She was his rock, his life force, his strength, his everything. He would be a complete mess if it were not for her presence at his side. She helped him go through his monthly transformations—she became an Animagus just to be by his side on those dreaded nights where the moon pulled the wolf out of him… how could he be so foolish to think he'd be able to leave her?

She was the only woman that had ever loved him—the only woman that had accepted him fully and wholeheartedly despite the baggage that he carried.

Isabella was one in a million. He would make it up to her in the morning. He would lavish her with kisses and chocolates—he'd beg for forgiveness on even suggesting that they end their relationship.

"I love you," he whispered against her neck, "I truly do, even if… even if I always push you away."

Isabella held back a sob and pressed her body against Remus', feeling the length of his torso, his shoulders, his hips… a shiver went down her spine at the warmth that radiated from his skin and at the closeness they were both in. She wanted him, she needed him, and she wanted to feel his bare skin against her own.

"I… I need you," she said breathily, pulling away from him to look up into his shimmering blue eyes that were specked with gold (a side effect of his condition). "I want you inside of me…"

"Isabella, we can't…" Remus trailed off, trying and failing to conceal the reaction his body was having at hearing her utter those words.

"Don't you find it funny how it is always I that seduces you rather than the other way around?" Isabella asked innocently, snaking her arms around his neck and drawing him close to her face.

She needed this; they both needed this. It was her way of saying goodbye.

"That is because we risk the chance of conceiving," said Remus huskily. "We can't… I can't let that happen. If I were to pass down my condition to—"

"Trust me," Isabella said almost sadly, "there is no chance that you'll get me pregnant tonight."

They had gone down this road from the very beginning, agreeing that no children could ever come out of their relationship (among other things) due to Remus' illness. He had spoken strongly about children specifically, telling Isabella that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he knew that he'd passed on his affliction to an innocent being. It had taken Isabella months of persuasion to get Remus to consider even allowing her to move in with him—he was still reluctant about it, she was sure.

He considered himself too dangerous to be around with.

Remus was embarrassed with himself, always saying that she could do better and that all he was doing was holding her back, closing doors for her for being associated with a werewolf. As always, Isabella would say she didn't care, and as always, Remus would subtly push her away.

As Isabella kissed Remus' neck, sucking and biting the sensitive skin near and around his Adam's apple, Remus shakily whispered, "The bed."

"Lead the way," whispered Isabella huskily, tightening her arms around his neck and jumping up to wrap her legs around his waist.

_Why didn't I take more precautions? We've never been careless, so why now_? _I have to do something. He doesn't want this… I should just save him the trouble and save myself the humiliation…_


	2. Spinner's End

**November 5th, 1981**

Severus Snape was a quiet man who wasn't taken by surprise easily, though today his defenses were finally broken. The news that his cousin, Isabella Prince, had told him that morning left him frazzled and uncomfortable—he didn't know what to do; that wasn't normal for him.

Severus Snape **always** knew what to do!

He paced the sitting room of his home on Spinner's End, making Isabella feel dizzy as she watched him from her seat on his armchair. She wondered what he was thinking: was he disappointed in her? Was he disgusted with the fact that she would possibly give birth to a werewolf? Would he tell her parents?

_I need more tea_, she thought with a sigh, looking down at the teacup she was holding with shaky hands.

"You mentioned nothing of your state before leaving—he knows nothing?"

Isabella looked up, staring at her cousin for a moment too long without answering. It made his face harden as a swarm of possible answers to his question came storming through his thoughts.

Severus stopped pacing and decided to walk towards Isabella, crouching down to take the teacup from her hands and set it aside on the small coffee table behind him. He repeated his question, looking into his cousin's honey colored eyes, which reminded him so much of his mother.

The look in her eyes told him everything. He wouldn't need _Legilimency_ to figure out what she was thinking. It was obvious: she was thinking of Remus.

"Isabella..."

"I said nothing; I just left when he was out looking for work," she whispered after a moment of silence. "I gathered what little I had and came straight here. I thought of leaving him a letter, but I couldn't bear to write one without… _without_—"

Severus sighed and stood up to his full height, pulling his cousin off of his armchair and taking a seat himself before he gently took a hold of her hand and made her sit on his lap. Immediately, the tears that had been threatening to fall from Isabella's eyes came pouring down her cheeks, soaking the black fabric of Severus' frock coat as he held her up to his chest in a comforting embrace.

He would protect her, just as she had tried to protect him when they were at Hogwarts. It would be his very own brand of… repent.

"What…what will I d-do?" she cried in a small and weak voice, a voice that hauntingly reminded Severus of his mother when she'd endure the beatings of his father for using magic.

"Are you planning on keeping the child?" he asked calmly.

Try as he might to be mad at her, he could never fully throw his and Isabella's relationship away.

Severus was furious at first of the relationship his cousin had with the werewolf—he had stopped talking to her for weeks. Isabella was determined though; stubborn, cunning, and pushed on until she managed to again fall in his good graces. He could never fully hate her, anyways.

Isabella took a moment to think before loud sobs spilled from her lips as she nodded her head and held her cousin tightly. She couldn't get rid of her child. It was all she had left of Remus, and she couldn't get rid of that. She was still hopeful, even after everything that had happened. Maybe one day they'd meet again…

"The child will pose a threat to your health, for the fact that there is a slight possibility that it will also have _his_ condition," Severus said in a soft tone, running a hand through Isabella's dark hair. "On full moons we must be highly vigilant of your pregnancy once you are around five months. If there are sudden movements in the womb, sharp pains—_anything_ that is unusual, then I am certain that the child will be a werewolf. Are you willing to put up with that?"

"I'm keeping it," she said, determined, swallowing back a sob, "I don't care, and—and I'll deal with it."

Severus nodded, sighing as he leaned back in his armchair with his cousin pressed tightly to his chest. As much as he hated the thoughts that began to run through his head, and the man that had impregnated his cousin, he kept coming back to the same conclusion no matter how he thought of it...

"You'll live here with me," he spoke after sorting through cluttered thoughts. "We will act as if the child is mine, therefore he or she shall carry my last name, and you will adopt my surname as well- we'll pretend to marry. Anyone who knows of our relationship will not find it odd that two cousins have wed, therefore it should not pose a threat to our reputations. That should be enough to ensure that your child will grow up in a proper family environment."

"I don't want to lie to my baby anymore then I have too," Isabella said softly, and Severus sighed. He didn't want to lie anymore then he had too, too. He'd lied enough as it were…

"Then we won't," he said. "We'll let the child know that I'm his or her uncle, but outside of this house everyone must think that I am the father, the child must understand that."

"Okay, but Severus—"

"No, we must do this," he silenced Isabella as she had tried to pull away from his grip, "Despite the fact that you will bear the child of a _Marauder_, you are still my cousin—_my blood,_ and so is that child. I consider you my sister, and the children you decide to have will be as good as my own. Do you understand?"

It took a moment for everything to sink in, though after stopping the tears from running down her cheeks, Isabella pulled away from Severus' hold and looked up into his chocolate orbs, nodding her head and giving her cousin a grateful smile.

"So, did you absolutely have no other choice than to leave?" Severus asked curiously after a moment.

Isabella took in a sharp breath, shaking her head sadly and saying softly, "He didn't want children, and he expressed his feelings over the matter rather strongly. It was either: I leave him before he finds out, or he leaves me once he found out about the pregnancy. I didn't have much of a choice."

"I see…" Severus said with calm features, "Do you plan on ever tracking down that _werewolf _once your child grows older?"

"I think it would be better if Remus doesn't know of our child, not until I'm ready, at least."

"Will you ever be ready?" Severus asked curiously.

"Yes and no," was Isabella's simple reply. "I'll probably decide when I have the child... you know, when everything starts becoming real."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," Severus mumbled.

"I guess Isabella Prince no longer exists, for the time being," Isabella said with forced amusement, trying to make an effort. "I'd never thought that I'd have to go by Mrs. Isabella Snape. It has a rather nice ring to it, I'll admit."

"I never thought I'd be married to my cousin," Severus said in a much lighter tone, giving his cousin a weak smile and slipping one of his hands down to her abdomen, "now then, shall we start thinking of names so we can get this part over and done with?"

Isabella chuckled, resting her head on Severus' shoulder and closing her eyes, sighing.

With Severus by her side, there was a chance that she'd get through this.


	3. Summer Turmoil

**Summer of '93**

Remus looked down at the yellowed parchment in his hands, re-reading for what seemed like the millionths time the short message that had arrived on the leg of a phoenix—Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, to be precise…

At first, he imagined everything, not really believing what was actually being offered to him. After all, who in their right mind would offer a teaching position to a werewolf? It was unheard of, it was unsafe, it was mad—it was **exactly** something Albus would do.

"Ah, Remus… So good to see you, my boy," the warm voice of Albus floated through the air, his form making its way down a spiraling staircase as his blue and purple robes billowed behind him. "I hope your trip went well?"

Remus tucked the piece of parchment in the pockets of his old robes and stared at his former professor for a moment before smiling, nodding his head, which made short strands of sandy brown hair fall across his brows.

"The trip went as well as could be. How are you, Albus?"

"Good, good."

With a smile and twinkling blue eyes, Albus offered Remus a seat as he himself got behind his desk. Lazily he shifted a few stacks of books and parchment before looking up at Remus with a mischievous smile, producing a teacup out of thin air with a single wave of his hand.

"Tea?" he offered with a smile, producing a tea set on his desk with another wave of his hand.

"Yes, thank you."

With a teacup now in hand, Remus looked around the office skeptically before asking, "I'm not really sure if I understood your message. Would you really be willing to offer me a teaching position?"

"Of course," the older wizard smiled, "You are a licensed tutor, and I have records of your O. W. L. and N. E. W. T. exams. You are more than qualified in my eyes to take over the _Defense Against the Dark Arts_ position."

Remus gave him a small smile, happy that someone at least trusted him, though then he sighed and said, "Not everyone is as kind as you. If I do accept, how will I ever get it through with the Ministry? They wouldn't deem it safe for me to be teaching. I had a hard enough time getting my tutoring license approved as it is."

"I have my ways," Albus said mysteriously, an odd twinkle in his eyes. "If one knows what words to use and how to arrange them accordingly, words are truly louder then actions."

Remus took a sip of his tea, bringing the cup back down and staring at himself in the small reflection offered by the surface of the tinted water. There really was nothing to lose. Teaching was something he enjoyed doing. He liked being around children, hearing them laugh and the innocence in their voices—it made him think of all that he could never have…

He had nothing to lose, right?

If he didn't get a job he'd be forced to live with his mother, and he did not want to be a charity case.

"I'll take it..." Remus trailed off, his breathing becoming labored as if a huge weight had suddenly been lifted off his shoulders, allowing him to breathe. "I'll become the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Albus smiled widely, setting his teacup on his desk's tabletop as he began to inform Remus of what would be expected of him as the new D. A. D. A. professor.

Remus honestly was at a loss for words; his head suddenly filling up with lesson plans he knew he'd need to work on before the 1st of September, when term would start. He was excited and finally happy to be doing something with himself, and to have a purpose in life. He would earn money that he'd be able to put away, and not have to depend on anyone other than himself and his skills.

Nothing was yet certain, though with the way Albus carried himself, it gave Remus hope that the Ministry would approve him. Maybe they would make an exception, maybe just this once.

* * *

><p>With black robes billowing behind him, Severus unlocked the front door to his home on Spinner's End, wanting nothing more than to strip down and take a nice long shower. It had been a long day at Hogwarts and he wanted to relax—maybe he'd even persuade Isabella to cook his favorite dessert, but all those thoughts went right out the door as he stepped foot into his house.<p>

There was a flash of black running towards him from his left, and in the blink of an eye, Severus pulled out his wand, casting a nonverbal spell.

Natalia Marina Snape (most commonly known as Talia), was now floating in midair, held upside down by an invisible hand to her ankle; her hands were holding tightly to the hem of the dress she wore so that it wouldn't flip over and expose her knickers.

"C'mon!" she shouted.

"Talia?" Severus asked with dark eyes as he lowered his wand, setting the girl down so that she could smooth down her dress.

"I just got excited when I heard the door open," she said with a roll of the eyes, nearly skipping towards him to wrap her arms around his waist, "I never knew it was a crime to miss ones uncle."

**Sarcasm**: she'd definitely gotten that from him and Isabella, and it made him proud, yet as Severus looked down at the bright blue eyes that were hauntingly similar to a pair he'd seen earlier in the day, he inwardly groaned.

It reminded him of what was to come once the school year started.

Nevertheless, he greeted his pride and joy with a kiss on the cheek and a tight hug, following behind her as she led him to the back of the house, where two women were seated in the sitting room.

One of the two women was Isabella Snape, her dark hair falling elegantly around her shoulders, curling at the ends around her hips. Today she wore something odd for her—white. It was a simple cotton dress, but the color looked misplaced on her body. It had been a while since Severus had seen her in any other color other than black, or a deep forest green.

It made him wonder if Narcissa's badgering had finally gotten to her. Lord only knew how much Mrs. Malfoy pestered Isabella to wear something other than "funeral-wear," as she called it.

The woman sitting across from Isabella was the alleged Narcissa Malfoy, Isabella's best friend, of sorts. And being the posh and socialite that Narcissa was, she was dressed to the nines in a form-fitting skirt with a matching blazer; her pale blonde hair pulled back in an elegant bun, and her lips coated in a modest shade of red that went well with her fair complexion.

Then there was the blonde boy seated on the floor with a game of _Wizard Chess_ resting on the coffee table. The boy was Draco Malfoy, Narcissa's only child—the Snape's Godson.

"Talia, where did you run off—" Isabella stopped short, nearly beaming once she spotted Severus standing off to the side, looking down at the game of chess that Talia and their guest had been playing. It had been a while since she had seen him; he had been kept up at Hogwarts as of late, probably conferring with Albus and getting his lesson plans in order, she supposed.

Isabella knew that he was already unintentionally solving the game in his head; it was just one of those things that he was known to do.

Severus shifted his eyes from the game of chess to look at his cousin, giving her a small smile that was so subtle you couldn't tell it apart from the usual serious expression he always wore, but Isabella knew better. She actually knew where to look, and was somewhat suspicious as she caught him smirking. Something was going on… why else would he have left Hogwarts without sending her a message in advance to await his arrival?

Narcissa sat with a pleasant smile on her lips, a dark look in her eyes that would make any man who did not know her personally, shiver. Then there was Draco with the look of utmost concentration in his clear eyes as he nearly burned holes into the chessboard he was sitting in front of.

The Snape's kept strange company…

"Narcissa, Draco," Severus said with an acknowledging nod, walking towards his cousin to stand behind her chair. "How is Lucius?"

"Fine, how kind of you to ask," Narcissa said with a grin, "I'll be sure to let him know of your concerns."

Severus gave her a curt nod, and then leaned down to place a kiss on his cousin's cheek, discreetly whispering, "Talk. Later."

Isabella calmly watched Severus as he walked towards Talia and Draco, conjuring up a chair out of thin air and placing it at one end of the coffee table. He sat down silently, being the onlooker for the game. Discreetly though, he tore his eyes away from the game, looking at his cousin with expectant eyes.

_Is everything alright, or is it something I should worry about_, Isabella thought, knowing that her cousin would hear.

After a moment, she watched as her cousin mouthed the words, "_that depends_," before he focused all of his attention back to the game of chess between Talia and Draco.

Isabella was left restless as she continued the conversation she'd been having with Narcissa, not really all there anymore.

* * *

><p>"What are they yelling about now?" Draco asked curiously as he sat with his legs crossed on Talia's bed, Talia's white ferret, Brutus, lying lazily on his lap. "Are you sure that—"<p>

Talia waved her hand in the air to shush Draco as she pressed one ear against the wall, listening closely to an argument that had been in the works for the past hour. The argument was in Severus' office, on the first floor, but Talia's hearing exceeded that of a mere witch her age, and therefore, it didn't matter that she was a floor above them. Talia wasn't exactly normal, you could say. Her sense of smell and hearing was similar to that of a dog's.

Draco had been worried at first, paranoid that the argument was about him because he'd spontaneously asked his mother if he could spend the night, and the unreadable look that Severus had given him didn't seem all too welcoming.

Nevertheless, Aunt Izzy called the shots around the household, and she had given Draco a warm smile, saying that anything her favorite godson wanted, he would get.

However, Draco could not feel at ease with his Potions professor in the same house, giving him those unreadable looks that made him feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed… of course he'd never voice his true concerns to Talia—heaven forbid that a girl found out what made him squirm.

"_You need to calm down_."

"**How the bloody hell can I calm down when he will be there**?!"

There was a long pause, which made Talia's heart begin to beat rapidly. She didn't exactly understand what they were arguing about, though the obvious was that her mother was upset about something that only she and her uncle seemed to know about.

The argument had started with a trip down memory lane, Talia not really understanding since her mother and uncle never really talked about their past with her, and they had kept their voices low. Gryffindor had been mentioned, as well as the name James, and then Black, and then Lupin.

The only reason she was hearing full sentences now was because her mother was raising her voice and her uncle was talking with a bit more force.

"**Talia will not be going to Hogwarts this year. I'll home-school her if I have too—you know, I might even send her off to ****_Beauxbatons Academy of Magic_****!**"

Talia arched an eyebrow as she heard her mother practically yell obscenities at her uncle after that. She pressed her ear even harder against the wall, wishing to catch everything else that her mother was saying, yet it was all muffled now. Her mother had obviously lowered her voice again.

Talia glared, nearly letting an animalistic growl rip through her chest as she leaned away from the wall, rolling up the sleeves of her sleeping gown.

"What?" Draco asked, sincerely concerned, he had never seen Talia so angry.

"Mum doesn't want me to go to Hogwarts," she huffed, "she said she might send me off to _Beauxbatons Academy of Magic_!"

A sudden smile crossed Draco's lips. He had heard of Beauxbatons. It was a palace, a school where the majority of students were females. He had heard the 7th year Slytherin's talk about the glittering palace and the fine selection of females that were of purest blood. "_A wizard's fondest dream_," one 7th year had once told Draco.

"I rather jump off a cliff then to go to France," Talia hissed, pulling Draco out of his thoughts as she stormed out of her bedroom to give her mother a piece of her mind.

"Well Brutus," Draco sighed, picking up the white ferret and holding him up to his face, "I think it's safe to say we'll be in for a long night."

Brutus stared at him blankly.

"Stupid animal," Draco scoffed, setting him down.

Draco jumped out of Talia's bed, Brutus quickly running behind him as they headed out of the small bedroom and down a narrow hallway. At the top of the stairs, Draco could already hear Talia's voice screaming, as well as the voice of her mother, yelling back fiercely. The voice of Severus however, sounded calm and collected yet with a slight edge that made the hairs on the back of Draco's neck stand on end.

He quickly tiptoed down the flight of stairs and walked silently down another narrow hallway, catching a glimpse of light that poured out of a door that had been left ajar. It was Severus's study.

"Brutus _no_…" Draco whispered harshly, his blue eyes widening as he watched the little ferret run towards the door and slither inside the room, his slender body pushing the door open several feet.

Draco's heart was pounding against his chest, his pulse beating loudly like a drum in his ears. He had no other choice but to take a few steps back and press him-self flat against the wall, holding his breath and biting his lip, hoping that he wouldn't get caught. He could hear Talia's voice clearly now, as well as her mother's and Severus'.

"This is ridicules!" Talia screamed.

"Do not," Severus said darkly, "use that tone on your mother."

"But can't you see that this doesn't make any sense!" Talia yelled, her voice slightly lower yet filled to the brim with determination. "Maybe if—"

"No," her mother said viciously, "you are my daughter and you will do as I say. If I say that you will not attend Hogwarts then you will accept my decision."

"You can't keep me here. Remember when I got my letter? You were over the moon with excitement!"

"You're better off at some other school than at Hogwarts at this point," said Isabella with a sigh, losing some of her edge.

"No, I'm not!" Talia protested.

"It's gotten dangerous, Talia."

"How?"

"Sirius Black, you know, the mass murderer; he's escaped Azkaban and there have been sightings of him near the school."

"But I'll be safe in school. Nothing will—"

"We will discuss this in the morning," Severus cut in, "We still need to think—"

"I'm still going, Sirius Black or no Sirius Black."

"In the morning, _Natalia_," her mother shot back with a frustrated sigh, "just go to bed, and take Brutus with you."

Draco quickly peeled himself away from the wall and silently rushed back to Talia's room, fearing for his life. The last thing he wanted was being caught, especially if his Potions professor was in a darker mood than usual.

How funny was it that he knew Severus on a somewhat personal level? It made him laugh sometimes, really. The Snape's were his godparents, after all.

Who would have thought?

Silently Draco tucked himself into Talia's bed, pulling the covers up and over his head and holding his breath until he heard the bedroom door creek open. It was Talia who had entered, he noted, by the fact that she let out a frustrated sigh and Brutus' little claws could be heard as he ran around the hardwood floor.

"Have fun eavesdropping?" Talia asked, surprising Draco and making him sit up in bed and pull the blankets off his head.

"How did you—"

Talia gave him a tired smile and got into bed besides him, fluffing her pillow before saying, "I've got _really _good hearing."

"But not even Snape heard me," Draco mumbled, giving Talia a hard look as he watched her lay down.

"Maybe he _did_ hear you, but just _chose_ to not say anything," Talia smirked as she looked up to see all color drain from Draco's face, "now c'mon, share the blanket or else I'm kicking you out of bed!"


	4. Web of Lies

Talia and Draco were sleeping, both unsuspectingly cuddling with the other underneath the sheets. They had known each other for years because of their mothers being such close friends—they had taken baths together as toddlers for heaven's sakes! They were like brother and sister, and it was not odd to see them snuggling up against one another when they were in the safety of Malfoy Manor or Spinner's End.

However, Draco's bad-boy image could not be broken at Hogwarts, and therefore he loved the freedom of being with Talia. He could be himself around her; he didn't have to lie, he didn't have to act and pretend to be someone else. He was his own person around her, but that was all going to change. Talia was entering her 1st year at Hogwarts now—he'd have to act differently around her when they'd be out in public.

The sound of a door opening harshly startled the two, making them wake up with a jolt as the door rebounded off the wall. Talia's long dark hair resembled a bird's nest, and Draco's short silvery hair appeared to be windswept. They were a sight to see, with their nightclothes askew on their bodies and their legs tangled together by the bed sheets.

Severus stood at the entrance of Talia's room, dressed in his signature black frock coat and slacks, his black hair framing his face, and one eyebrow raised—it was nothing new.

"Get dressed," he said slowly, "breakfast shall be served in 20 minutes."

With that being said, Severus turned on his heels and walked out of the bedroom, his hair bouncing around his neck as he went. He was no further than down the hall when he heard a loud thump and Draco groaning in pain (probably having been pushed off the bed), followed by Talia's laughter and then the pitter patter of feet as she surly raced to the bathroom to get first dibs on the sink and toilet.

Severus couldn't help but to let a small and sad sigh leave his lips. As much as he hated to admit it, Talia and Draco's friendship remind him of the friendship he and Isabella had when they were children… before Hogwarts, before Lily, before the Marauders, and before Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

His youth at Spinner's End had been horrible, and the only thing he looked forward to was heading over to Prince Manor, where Isabella and her parents lived. There he could do magic without hiding it from his mother and father; there he could be himself, the wizard he wanted to be, and not pretend to be a simple muggle for the sake of his father.

His childhood had been nothing like the childhood of Draco, but riches set aside, Severus knew that Draco was a very talented actor. Severus knew that Draco was only ever truly himself in the presence of Talia. She could easily bring out the child in him and push back the man that Narcissa and Lucius wanted him to be.

Draco could be himself around Talia, just as Severus could be himself around Isabella.

With her he didn't have to act.

By the time Severus reached the kitchen, he could smell sausages and eggs, Earl Gray tea, rolls, honey, a hint of sugar, and lemonade. Isabella was cooking (the muggle way) to clear her mind off last night's argument, he was sure.

He was proven right when he saw their house elf, Widget, sitting down at the kitchen table looking bored. The elf had her tiny hands folded neatly on her lap, and was swinging her legs back and forth.

"Widget, can you hand me some butter?" Isabella asked without turning away from the stove.

Widget jumped up and smiled widely, finally happy that she was doing something productive.

"You're overworking yourself," Severus said softly as he sat himself down at the kitchen table, taking the seat that Widget had once occupied.

Isabella shrugged, still not turning away from the stove; it made Severus roll his eyes.

"My Mistress, can Widget go see if Miss Natalia needs assistance in getting ready?" Widget asked with a tiny smile after she handed Isabella a bar of butter—Severus rolled his eyes yet again.

The little elf had a pink ribbon wrapped around her large head, wore a light green tea-towel with roses embroidered on the hems, and on her feet were brown trainers that had once belonged to Talia when she had been an infant. It was obvious to anyone that Widget was a free elf, but she was loyal to Isabella and Talia, Severus too, and therefore remained at Spinner's End. She could literally disappear whenever she wanted too, but the little creature insisted that she stay and help around the house.

Severus could remember the day of her liberation easily. It happened on Christmas, when Talia had been five years old. Talia had seen that everyone was exchanging gifts, but that no one was giving anything to Widget, the elf that looked after her. She took it upon herself to give Widget her scarf, unknowingly setting her free.

"Can you braid Talia's hair while you're there?" Isabella asked Widget, who nodded, snapping her fingers and disappearing with a 'POP'.

A minute passed after that, and then Isabella turned around, placing her hands on her apron-clad hips and giving Severus a knowing look.

"We need to discuss the events of last night," Severus said calmly, waving a hand in front of him over the tabletop to produce magically a copy of the _Daily Prophet_.

"I'm sending her to France," Isabella said with conviction.

Severus sighed. "France? So she can become an ice queen like the rest of those presumptuous Beauxba—"

"You rather I send her to _Norway?_" Isabella hissed. "You do remember Igor, yes? Igor Karkaroff?"

That made Severus' blood boil. He knew well of Igor Karkaroff—the Russian was a bloody Death Eater who had somehow managed to become headmaster of _Durmstrang Institute_.

"Honestly, woman," Severus growled, looking away from his newspaper and up at his cousin, "I'd rather you send her to Beauxbatons than there."

Isabella could only roll her eyes. She knew that would get to him; it had been a low blow, considering he too had been a Death Eater at one point in his life, but she'd snapped, and said the first thing that had came running through her thoughts.

"I just don't want her at Hogwarts," Isabella said as she busied herself with finishing breakfast.

"You know, it would be best that Talia attend Hogwarts—"

"I don't want her to get hurt," Isabella cut him off, grinding her teeth. She looked down at her pan, on which an egg was frying, holding the spatula tightly as she said, "I've been living lie after lie for the past 11 years, and for everything that I—for everything that _you _have built to just suddenly come crashing down because of Remus… I can't allow that.

"He's smarter than you think he is—he's like an animal and animals always know how to single out their kin. He'll figure out that Talia is his sooner or later and I'm just not ready for that.

"He'll notice the changes in her once the full moon comes around. He'll be able to smell the similarities between himself and her—wolves can identify their pack members by scent alone."

_She has a point_, Severus admitted to himself, but how long was Isabella planning on hiding? Severus knew it wasn't good for Talia. As much as he loathed Remus, Severus knew that hiding a daughter from him wasn't right.

Talia deserved to know the truth and not the lie that she had been fed: that her biological father had run off because he wasn't ready to handle a child.

_At least Isabella had the decency to tell Talia that I'm her uncle and not her father_, Severus thought scornfully.

Severus had done everything in his power to keep Isabella and Talia safe and away from the scrutiny of the public eye. He had forged a marriage certificate so that they would think that he and Isabella were married, and so that everyone would think Talia was his and not the bastard child of some riffraff that Isabella was seeing; so that they wouldn't bother her with questions on the whereabouts of her child's father. He had also done it so that Talia would not play the victim to bullies who would have been sure to tease her if they were to find out that her mother was a single mother.

He had done everything for them, but time was catching up on them and it wasn't fair to Remus—it wasn't fair to Talia either.

"Remus just can't know—not yet, and to prevent that, Talia will not be there." As an afterthought, Isabella added, "it's enough that Draco is the only other person besides you and I that knows that you are not her biological father. Thankfully he values Talia's friendship enough to keep his mouth shut and go along with the story."

"Talia tells that boy too much," Severus said thoughtfully.

Isabella nodded.

"Talia should go to Hogwarts, though," Severus pushed on, "what will you tell Narcissa and Lucius once they question you about your change in schools?"

"I hadn't thought of that," Isabella sighed, turning around and taking her apron off, "I can just say that I don't agree with Dumbledore's method of educating our children."

Severus smirked. He had her where he wanted her now. "Yes, but then wouldn't that be suspicious? Everyone knows how much you adore him, and then there is me—some would find it odd that our _daughter _is not going to the school that we went to… that school that **_I _**teach at."

"Damn you, Severus," Isabella hissed.

Severus was victorious.

"So it's settled, then?" he asked rhetorically. "Talia will be attending Hogwarts."

"Yes," Isabella said begrudgingly, hating the fact that she was easily persuaded.

Sensing that his cousin was still reluctant, Severus added, "Do you honestly want to be questioned by your daughter? What would you tell her: that her father is the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and that you want to keep her existence a secret because he'll reject her? Not to mention the fact that he is a werewolf and that that is the reason for us treating her differently near and on the full moon?

"Talia already suspects something about her health. She's a smart girl, Isabella; she'll figure it out on her own if you don't tell her."

"It would have been easier if she'd just been born a full werewolf," Isabella voiced out her thoughts. "I could have just told her that she'd been bitten as a child, or that I was infected during the pregnancy and that certain werewolf traits passed on to her—damn it, what will I tell her when she connects the dots? I mean, she already noticed that her eyes gain an amber hue when she' "sick", and just the other day she asked for raw stake! I'm digging myself a hole!"

"You worry too much. Talia will be fine for now. That is why we give her Wolfsbane to keep her from turning into a complete savage," Severus put in. "The occasional heavy sleeping potion to subdue her also helps. Not to mention that your animagus is a wolf; that gave you something to wrap your lie around."

If it were up to Severus, he would have told Talia that she was a half-breed a long time ago, but being the loving cousin that he was (as hard to believe as that was, considering his cold demeanor), he had gone with the lie that Isabella had created. That because her animagus was a wolf, certain wolf traits had passed down to Talia during birth. Like how her eyes turn the slightest bit topaz, why she gets sick around the full moon, why her temper shifted from happy to livid in seconds, why she sometimes craves raw stake…

It would have been easier to just tell Talia the truth, but Isabella was scared. She wanted Talia to live as normally as possible; to not be singled out for what she was.

"However, she'll figure out that what we give her is Wolfsbane and not _vitamins_," Severus said, scoffing as he muttered, "How long do you expect her to be ignorant of the special treatment we give her once a month?"

_Severus has a point_, Isabella thought, and was about to speak but stopped herself when the voices of Draco and Talia began to grow louder as they approached the kitchen.

For now, she would keep quite. She would stay with the lies she had planted in Talia's head—she would not tell Talia about Remus, or the fact that being an animagus has nothing to do with her "illness."

"Talia, you better pray to Merlin that you're sorted into Slytherin."

Talia's happy screech was enough to turn Isabella's sour mood into a good one.


	5. The Hogwarts Express

It was September 1st, the day that Talia was due at King's Cross Station with Draco and everyone else who would be boarding the Hogwarts Express. It was thrilling just to think that in a few hours she'd be at Hogwarts, with Draco no less. No longer would she have to spend fall alone and spring at Prince Manor with her grandparents. She could be with Draco now; she'd be able to hang out with her best friend 24/7.

Narcissa had arranged for Talia to spend the night at Malfoy Manor so that she and Draco could arrive at the train station together. Narcissa thought it appropriate that they should keep together, and with Talia, entering her 1st year, she could only imagine how much help Draco's presence would be.

Their trunks were all packed, Brutus was in his carrying case, and all that was left was to eat breakfast before leaving Malfoy Manor. Talia couldn't have been in a better mood, yet there was something on her mind that kept bothering her: _why had her mother not wanted her to go to Hogwarts? _She had said that Sirius Black had something to do with it, and what Talia knew of him was limited to what she'd read on the Daily Prophet. He was a murderer, sentenced to life in prison… but he'd recently escaped. Well, knowing how paranoid her mother was, she could understand why she hadn't wanted her to go to Hogwarts, but what made her think that the Azkaban escapee would target Hogwarts specifically? There had been sightings of him at Hogwarts, but were they really of Sirius Black, or had they been mistaken?

If Talia were a criminal on the run, she'd flee the country and never look back, so she doubted that Sirius Black would wander around the school. The man couldn't be possibly that stupid… could he?

"Widget, can you go see what's taking our parents so long?" Talia found herself asking.

"Yes my Miss," the little house elf said with a wide smile, snapping her fingers and disappearing from the room.

Draco -who was sitting on his bed beside Talia- asked, "Where do you think Dobby ended up? I had fun torturing him from time to time. It gave me something to do, you know?"

Talia rolled her eyes. She knew well of the story of Harry Potter and how he had given Dobby a sock to free him from the Malfoy's hands. She thought it was very noble of Harry, freeing a house elf, but she'd never let anyone know that she actually thought Harry would be a nice person if she'd ever meet him. She knew it would kill Draco, considering how much trash he talked about "_Potter_".

All Talia did in respect to Draco's statement was shrug.

"Draco," she asked after a moment of silence, "do you think that I'll ever meet my father?"

The subject of her father was always something Talia would bring up randomly. She was just curious. Her mother hardly talked about such a touchy subject as who her father was.

"It's possible," Draco answered. "Maybe if you bother your mum long enough she'll crack under pressure and spill."

"I can only hope," Talia sighed, falling back onto the bed so she could look up at the canopy, "I mean, she could at least tell me his name, but she says that it's best if I don't know."

Draco bit his lip, not really knowing what to say. There was nothing _to_ say. Nothing that hadn't already been said, anyways. If he and Talia weren't talking about school or other random things, they would talk about Talia's father.

Draco had been the one to figure it out on his own, actually. He knew that there was something odd about the relationship between Talia and Snape, and then there was the fact that they hardly looked anything alike. He had meant it as a joke when he'd said, _"Hey, are you adopted?" _He hadn't really expected Talia to look at him seriously and then spend the next two hours explaining to him what exactly Severus was to her.

Suddenly a loud crackling could be heard bouncing off the walls, signaling Widget's return.

"My Mistress says that Miss Natalia and young Master Malfoy can come downstairs for breakfast," the little house elf smiled. "My Mistress also says that if Miss Natalia does not hurry, she will not go to Hogwarts."

"My mum's threatening me now," Talia huffed, sitting up and sliding off the bed, "perfect," she added sarcastically.

"C'mon, let's just go downstairs and have breakfast. We can talk more on the train," Draco grinned, patting Talia's shoulder once he was standing beside her, "beside, we'll have more privacy on the train then we do in my room."

"I forgot your walls literally have eyes and ears on them," Talia teased, smiling as she followed Draco out of his bedroom.

"And you forgot that they're paper thin, too," Draco laughed, offering Talia his arm before they began to make mindless chit chat, Widget following silently behind them.

* * *

><p>Talia was excited as she walked through King's Cross, with her own trolley this time, and not pushing along Draco's as she had done the previous years. No longer would she just accompany Draco and send him off with a hug and a promise to write letters—she'd actually be going this time! She was excited tremendously and could not stop smiling.<p>

Today was finally the day that she would leave her mother behind and only see her for holidays for the next seven years… Talia was surprisingly okay with that. Her uncle was still going to be at school; she'd see him on a daily basis, therefore she wasn't really leaving home.

They had driven to King's Cross, and that all on its own had been an adventure for Talia. She had never been in a car before. Sure, she lived in a muggle town, ate muggle food, shopped in the muggle side of London—but a car? She'd see them passing down the streets, but never had she been in one. She assumed that they would apparate or go via broomstick, but no; Narcissa had informed them that Lucius had ordered a car to drive them to the train station. No doubt, Lucius was trying to spoil Talia and make this an experience she'd never forget.

He always claimed that she was his favorite, much to Draco's annoyance.

"I expect at least a monthly letter," Isabella informed Talia as they neared Platform 9 ¾. "And be sure to take your vitamins when your father says so."

Narcissa overheard this and smiled sadly. Talia always seemed to be sick.

_Poor dear_, Narcissa found herself thinking, _that immune system of hers is out of sorts._

Oh, if only she knew the reason why Talia was "always" sick…

Once they approached the appropriate platform, Draco and Narcissa decided to go first once they noted Talia's uneasy expression.

When Draco had been a 1st year, Talia had screamed as Draco ran towards the wall, thinking that he'd be hurt, but no; Draco had gone through the wall and had made it to the other side without feeling a thing. Ever since then Talia had been skeptic about running through Platform 9 ¾.

Talia was a witch and was used to impossible things being possible, but there was always something unnatural about walking through a wall that unnerved her.

"Alright, now the fun part," Isabella chuckled, looking down at the unsure face of her daughter. "C'mon, you better get used to this now—you have six more turns, not including the runs through back."

"Don't remind me," Talia huffed, gripping her trolley's handlebar tightly.

Isabella smiled; she had had the same expression when she was a 1st year. If it hadn't been for Severus' coaxing she would have probably hopped onto her father's back while he pushed the trolley through.

"On the count of three," Isabella smiled, standing beside her daughter and putting an arm around her shoulder. "1… 2… 2 ½… 2 and—"

"Three!" Talia yelled, not wanting to stall anymore and get it over with.

_Fell right for it,_ Isabella thought with a smirk, running through the wall with her daughter to then crash into someone and fall onto her backside, knocking her head on the concrete.

A girl with wild bushy brown hair yelped in pain, complaining about her hand being caught underneath her trunk. Talia groaned in pain on the floor for a moment, before quickly sitting up once she heard Brutus' distressed squeak. Isabella stayed still for a moment on the ground, seeing black dots and feeling a searing pain on the back of her head.

Had she really just crashed into someone? Well, this had certainly made for a memorable moment.

"Are you alright, Ms?"

"What the devil… _James Potter_?" Isabella was confused. Why was James standing over her? And who was the redhead that stood beside him?

"My name's Harry, actually," the boy said, confused as he looked down at the woman who had knocked down his friend, but then it struck him: _she had called him by his father's name_. "You knew my father?"

That seemed to do it, for Isabella blinked and her blurred vision straightened, and it was no longer James that was hovering over her with a concerned look on his face, but his son—Harry.

How hard had Isabella hit her head?

"Oh my… help me up." The redheaded boy beside Harry quickly obliged to Isabella's request, helping her sit up while Harry was still looking at her, a curious expression on his face.

Harry looked just like his father; he had his messy black hair, his nose, his lips, his eyes—no, he did not have James' eyes. "Your eyes aren't like I remember them; they're greener, like Lil's."

Isabella had seen him as a baby; she had been there with Remus when Lily had given birth—she had planned Lily's baby shower! How she missed her best friend…

Harry's eyes had been a grayish blue (bordering on green), like most newborns… Isabella was amazed how much his eyes had changed with time.

She felt her throat clamping shut. Severus had told her of how Harry's eyes matched Lily's, but seeing them in person was far different then the pictures Severus had showed her. Harry's eyes were the exact piercing green as his mother's, and they were the same shape too. No wonder Severus had bitter feelings towards Harry—how could he take care of the son of the woman he loved, having to look into her eyes when they were set on the face of his rival? The face of James, the man he hated for stealing his first love.

Life was so cruel.

"Lil…" Harry said softly. "You knew my mother, and me—"

Without thinking, Isabella said, "We were best friends. I was there when you were born…"

Harry just stared at Isabella and then looked over to his redheaded friend, Ron Weasley, who shrugged his shoulders. Harry knew nothing of his parents, and here this woman was, the supposed best friend of his mother. He wasn't sure how to handle such a situation, but he knew that he'd like to see this woman in the future, if it was possible, just to talk.

Together Harry and Ron helped Isabella stand, and then looked over to their friend and the girl that was helping her put her luggage back on the trolley she'd been pushing.

"Hermione, are you alright?" asked Ron.

Hermione Granger looked up from one of her bags and nodded her head, giving Ron a reassuring smile as she moved to help the girl that had knocked her down.

"I'm so sorry," Talia said with a small smile, smoothing down her skirt and setting Brutus' carrying case on top of her trolley, "It's my first time going through the platform."

Hermione waved a dismissive hand and smiled, shrugging her shoulders. "No harm done, although my hand does hurt a bit; my name's Hermione Granger, I'm a 3rd year, by the way."

"My name's Natalia Snape."

"**Snape**?" came three different disbelieving voices, Hermione's included. It was then that Talia noticed her mother standing beside Harry Potter and a boy with red hair.

"I never knew Snape was married," mumbled Ron, who then was elbowed in the ribs by Harry.

It was then that Draco and Narcissa made an appearance, Draco glaring at Harry as he rushed over to Talia and nearly shoved Hermione out of the way. "What did you do this time, Potter?" he sneered once he caught Harry's gaze.

Isabella sighed and rolled her eyes. If it wasn't Severus against James, then of course it had to be Draco against Harry. History had an odd way of repeating itself.

"Are you alright, Isabella?" asked Narcissa as she walked over to her friend, her head held high and her nose up in the air. She didn't even give Harry or his friends a second glance.

Nodding, Isabella walked forwards to help her daughter straighten up her luggage, before checking her over for any injuries. Talia didn't have any, thankfully, and thus Isabella smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Are you alright, dear?" she then asked the bushy haired girl, who seemed somewhat startled that the presumed wife of Severus Snape was being so kind to her.

Hermione shrugged, saying, "My hand just got caught under a trunk, but it's really—"

Hermione couldn't continue, for Isabella had taken her hand in hers and began rubbing it, mumbling something underneath her breath with her eyes slightly narrowed. The pain immediately subsided, and the red spot on the back of Hermione's hand, that would have turned into a nasty bruise, began to fade away until there was nothing left that indicated an injury.

Hermione was grateful and utterly surprised.

"There, good as new," Isabella smiled, letting go of Hermione's hand and patting her shoulder. "What's your name, dear?"

"Hermione Granger," Hermione said with a tiny smile.

_Ooh, so this is Granger_, Isabella smirked. Severus had talked a lot about "that Granger girl", saying she was intelligent beyond belief, but had a habit of speaking out of turn, and was insufferable. Severus had even once said that Hermione reminded him of Isabella, to which he'd gotten a resounding slap on the back of the head.

"I'm Isabella Snape," Isabella smiled, then looked over to Talia, and said, "And I'm sure you and Natalia have already gotten acquainted—maybe you two can sit together on the train? Talia has no other friends besides Draco; it's a shame, really."

"Mum," Talia groaned in embarrassment, and Draco beamed, proud that he was literally her only friend. If he had the chance, he'd make sure that it stayed like that.

"Aunt Izzy, the train is boarding, it's time to go," Draco informed, looking up at Isabella with a tiny smirk.

"Right," Isabella smiled at him, then turned to Talia and hugged her tightly, whispering, "Make some friends other than Draco, will you? And above all else, have fun."

"Will do," Talia said with a small chuckle, kissing her mother's cheek before walking over to Narcissa. "Bye Aunt Cissy, I'll be sure to write..."

Throughout all this, Hermione watched the scene with a clinical eye. Natalia Snape seemed nice, and her mother was just the same. It made her wonder how a man like Severus Snape could have gotten so lucky.


	6. The Wolf and the Dementor

_Hermione Granger was nice_, Talia found herself thinking. The 3rd year had even offered her a seat in their compartment, but Draco had pulled Talia away before she'd gotten the chance to say anything.

"I don't see why you don't like her," Talia sighed as she sat across from Draco. "She was nice."

Draco rolled his eyes, crossing his arms before saying, "I'd rather be hit by the Whomping Willow then associate with Granger and those two idiots she calls her friends."

"Oh, c'mon…" Talia said, "Ron and Harry seemed nice too. I'm sure if you gave them all a chance we could all be friends."

"Right, friends," Draco scoffed, "like I said, I'd rather be hit by the Whomping Willow."

Talia glared. So, he rather go through pain than be friends with Hermione and her friends… Well, if that was what he wanted…

"_Hey_!" Draco hissed in pain as Talia's foot collided with his shin.

Talia smiled triumphantly from her seat, swinging her legs innocently, which made Draco sink into his seat, fearing that her shoe would hit him again.

He forgot how stubborn she could be.

Small talk was absent now; both children enduring an ever-growing silence that made them shift uncomfortably in their seats. All they had to do now was wait around until the Hogwarts Express arrived at Hogwarts, which for Talia couldn't be fast enough. She wanted to be there already, she wanted to experience the boat ride up to the castle that Draco had talked about… and then there was the Sorting Hat. She was slightly nervous about that one.

"Do you think I'll get sorted into Slytherin?"

"You're mum was in Slytherin, and Snape, and your grandfather, so you better get in," Draco hissed, still sore about his shin. "If you get sorted into _Ravenclaw, _then I can accept that, but if you're sorted into Hufflepuff or _Gryffindor_… well, let's not talk about that."

"Would it be a bad thing if I were to be sorted into Gryffin—"

Just then, the compartment doors opened, and in slipped two boys and one girl: Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy—Draco's friends.

Draco let out a sigh of relief, thankful for the interruption. He'd be devastated if Talia were to be sorted into any other house that wasn't Slytherin. He could stand Ravenclaw because Ravenclaws were known for their intelligence, but if she were to be sorted into Hufflepuff—or worse, Gryffindor… well, he didn't know if he'd be able to be seen with her in public. It would be embarrassing. Especially after all the praises he'd been giving her in the company of his Slytherin friends.

"Talia," he said with a smile, gesturing to the three new arrivals, "these are Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, and Pansy Parkinson."

Talia smiled up at all of them, giving them a short wave as she said, "I'm Natalia Snape, nice to meet you all."

The three newcomers quickly mumbled their greetings.

"I still can't believe that Snape is married," Crabbe said, surprised, taking a seat beside Draco, Goyle doing the same, which left Pansy to sit beside Natalia.

Talia shrugged.

"So," she said in an attempt to start small talk, "weird weather we're having, right? First, it is sunny and now it is all cold and dark. Do you think it's going to snow?"

"I doubt it," said Draco, looking out the window.

It was September, the season where leaves would begin to change color, and the weather to be a bit colder than that of August, but this was different. It had been a sunny and cloudless day upon leaving Malfoy Manor, but as the Hogwarts Express left London, the weather had changed drastically. It was much colder then what anyone was used too, the sky turning into a dark stormy gray, and thick black clouds looming over everyone, looking threatening.

Talia knew something wasn't right. She could feel it in her bones, but was doing her best to ignore it.

"What is that?" Pansy suddenly asked, looking down between her and Talia to the carrying case that was bouncing on the floor. "Is that a _ferret_?"

"Yeah, that's Brutus," Draco answered for Talia. "I wonder why he's acting so odd…"

Little Brutus was scratching the mesh door of his carrier, trying in vain to get out, which was odd for the ferret. Brutus was usually very calm.

"Maybe he's hungry," Crabbe shrugged. "My cousin had a ferret; the little guy was always eating."

"Maybe he's restless," Talia waved off simply, leaning forwards in her seat to scoop the carrying case onto her lap. "I'll let him walk around for a bit."

Pansy grimaced as Talia let Brutus out of his carrying case. Never had Pansy been so close to a ferret; she didn't like it. The little creature looked like an elongated white rat, and it unnerved her to see Talia kiss the ferret's nose affectionately before setting him down on the floor.

"Hmm," Draco hummed, looking out the window intently, "the weather is turning a bit weird…"

"Maybe I jinxed it," Talia chuckled, making Draco smile.

Pansy immediately glared. She liked Draco, everyone in Slytherin House knew that… well, expect for Draco himself, of course. She was dreading the day that Draco's friend would come to Hogwarts. For two years, she had to endure Draco gushing about his godparent's daughter—the Potion Master's daughter. She hated the fact that because Talia was a Snape she'd be welcomed with opened arms immediately. She wouldn't have to work hard to gain acceptance; she was instantly a favorite for being related to the Head of House.

It wasn't fair.

"This winter is probably going to be one of the worst," Pansy interjected, trying to gain an answer out of Draco, but he merely shrugged. It made her blood boil. She would not stand for being ignored!

Silently Pansy stood, quickly racking her brain for an excuse.

"Where are you going?" Talia asked curiously, but she received no answer.

Draco scowled, saying, "You just got here."

Pansy looked around nervously before letting out a sigh, saying, "I'll be back. I have to go to the loo—"

"Oh, I'll come with you," Talia interrupted her, already making an effort to stand, but Pansy stopped her.

"No, it's okay," Pansy said stiffly. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

With that, Pansy walked towards the compartment door, almost tripping on Brutus who got between her feet. She scowled, glaring down at the little ferret that looked up at her through red eyes—she got an idea. Smirking, she slid open the door, slipping out quickly and making sure that she left a wide enough gap for the little ferret to escape.

She got her answer when she was halfway down the hall, in the form of Talia screaming, claiming that Brutus escaped.

"That… that daft bimbo!"Talia screeched, "Why didn't she close the door properly!"

Crabbe and Goyle couldn't help but chuckle, which made Talia even angrier. She growled, low and menacing, but that only made the two Slytherin boys burst into a hysterical fit of laughter, holding their sides as tears of joy streamed down the sides of their chubby faces.

It was just a ferret; they didn't understand why it meant so much to Talia.

"She did that on purpose," Talia mumbled angrily as she got to her feet, smoothing down her gray skirt. She then turned to Draco, saying very seriously, "Draco, I don't _like_ your _friends_."

With that being said, she marched out of the compartment, leaving Crabbe and Goyle to suffer the fury of Draco Malfoy.

The train was going fast and smooth enough that the floor wasn't swaying, making it easy for Talia to walk about. She was bent slightly to be closer to the ground, calling out in a whisper for Brutus. It was quiet, and there was no one in the halls; one would think that it would make things easier for Talia to find Brutus, but it didn't.

It was as if he had suddenly vanished.

A small draft came into the hall, making Talia hug her robes. She figured that someone had just left a window open, and therefore she brushed it off as nothing. It wasn't until the train suddenly stopped, and the lights went out, that Talia was certain something was wrong.

Talia stood up straight, suddenly paranoid. She kept turning around, making sure that no one was behind her. A few seconds passed by without noise, and then Talia began to hear the small creak of various compartment doors being slide open. Curious students looked around the halls, a look of bewilderment etched onto their faces.

The train had stopped over a bridge; this really wasn't good.

"C'mon, back in your seats," called out a 6th year girl in Ravenclaw robes, a prefect badge adorning the front of her cloak.

Everyone was reluctant to go back into his or her compartments, but they eventually did so, muttering questions underneath their breaths.

"Excuse me," Talia said shakily, approaching the Prefect that stood in the middle of the hall, looking around to make sure that the students were following her orders. "Have you seen a ferret run by here?"

"You're a first year," the girl said in observation, and then looked around the halls, shaking her head. "I haven't seen one. You should be more careful."

"Can I look around for a bit? I'll go back to my seat in a minute," Talia pleaded.

The Prefect looked down at her, unsure, but nodded her head, and with one last glance around the halls, said, "Be quick and be safe. I don't want to get into trouble."

Talia smiled, nodding her head before she was off down the hall, leaving the Ravenclaw Prefect with a tiny smile before she slipped back into her compartment.

Talia's anger towards Pansy had subsided, but this would be something she would never forget. She wasn't one to hold a grudge, but she would still be resentful. Brutus had been a gift from her Uncle Lu (what she called Lucius) on her 11th birthday, the little white ferret meant everything to her.

_Hah, if only Pansy knew that our parents joke about marrying us_, Talia thought with a tiny smirk, already having figured out that Pansy had a "thing" for Draco. She could literally smell it on Pansy; the pheromones, the way her scent spiked when she laid eyes on Draco...

Talia suddenly felt very cold, and very sad. It made a lump form in her throat. This was weird. She took in a deep, shaky breath, suddenly finding herself on the verge of tears. She was just so sad… and she didn't know why. Brutus was missing, but he was still on the train and she knew she'd eventually find him—it wasn't anything to get overly upset about.

Nevertheless, she was suddenly hurting. It was like all the happiness had been sucked out of her, leaving her cold, and alone…

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a black figure floating in the air, gliding towards her. She turned quickly to face it, wanting to know what was there, but when she did, she nearly had a heart attack. The strange figure floating in the air was charging towards her with speed unlike anything she had ever seen. It looked like a body with black, rotting skin, which was covered in a dirty tattered cloak. Its long arms were outstretched, straining to grab her, and a hood covered its face.

It looked like a corpse.

Talia screamed, tripping on her own two feet as she twirled in the opposite direction, and began to run. Whatever that thing was, she knew that it wasn't supposed to be on the train. She also knew that it meant nothing but evil.

She ran to the end of the hall, in the direction of the compartment she shared with Draco. In her frantic rush to reach safety she tripped on the carpet, causing her to fall face first.

Talia flipped herself onto her back, scooting backwards until she was pressed against a wall; a window was above her that was coated in a fine coat of ice. In an act of desperation, she pulled out her wand from the pocket of her skirt, holding it up in the direction of her attacker. She knew no spells that could ward off such a creature, but she knew an extensive amount of hexes and jinxes that could at least buy her some time until someone came to save her.

That… or she'd scream bloody murder to make sure someone heard her.

Talia opened her mouth to scream while thinking of a hex she could throw at the cloaked figure, but by the time she thought of '_Stupefy_' -a spell her mother had taught her without the knowledge of her uncle- it was already too late. The cloaked figure was hovering over her, floating in the air gracefully, before it pulled back its hood with a single skeletal hand.

Talia was too stunned to yell at the sight that greeted her. It was as if she was looking at the face of a dead man, with no eyes, no nose, no teeth, and no heart. There was only a mouth on the black rotting face, a mouth that opened up to form a perfect "O" as it began to suck in air, and also Talia's soul.

"Please…" Talia whimpered faintly, her wand clattering to the floor by her side as she slumped to the side and hit the ground with a soft thud.

Talia felt the icy chill of death (or what she thought was death), as everything she had began to leave her. She couldn't think of anything that would bring a smile to her face; it was all dark, and cold, and dead. Her world began to spin and her thoughts were a hazy cloud of dark mist. Her eyes were opened, though just barley as she lay there on her side. The light was leaving her with every breath that her attacker sucked in, and for the first time in her entire life, Talia was truly scared.

A sudden burst of light lit up the hall, warding away Talia's attacker.

Before submitting to the impending darkness, Talia caught sight of a silvery wolf gliding across the air, and a sense of relief filled her, allowing her to shut her eyes and surrender.


	7. The Sorting Hat

"Natalia… wake up, please."

Talia heard the voice calling her name repeatedly, but she didn't know who it belonged too. It was soft, like the voice of a girl, and filled with worry like a mother's when talking to her scared child. Try as she might Talia couldn't open her eyes though; she was just too tired, and therefore relied on her nose to figure out who was near her.

Spearmint toothpaste, broom-handle polish, flowery perfume, and chocolate hit her all at once—the distinctive smell of four different people.

Talia was most attracted to the smell of chocolates. There was something familiar about it. It was subtle with a barely-there hint of musk. It made her instantly relax and allow her eyes to flutter open with ease.

A pair of worried brown eyes was what greeted Talia first, and then the sound of a familiar squeak that most certainly had to belong to Brutus.

"She lives," someone muttered quietly in the background, followed by, "Shut up, Ron."

The worried brown eyes belonged to Hermione, and Talia realized that she couldn't remember how she'd ended up with Hermione hovering over her in a random train compartment. The last thing she remembered was a silver white wolf driving away that horrible cloaked figure—her mother was here, she realized. The wolf, it was her patronus!

"Where's my mum?" Talia croaked, coughing slightly as Hermione helped her sit up with the help of a shabby looking professor that was standing beside her, his head down most of the time as if he was scared to show his face.

Hermione looked at her friends behind her, Harry and Ron who were sitting at the other side of their compartment, and then to the shabby looking professor, who shrugged his shoulders beside her. Why would Talia say that her mother was here when it was obvious that she was not?

"Your mum's not here," Hermione informed Talia. "What makes you think that she's here?"

Talia was confused. Her mother **_WAS_** here; she had to be. She had seen her patronus! She had seen the wolf!

"The wolf," Talia informed her, "she cast her patronus and drove that thing away. She saved me—where is she?"

Hermione turned to her side, looking at the shabby professor whose face had paled and lost all trace of color. He was a tall man, with sandy brown hair that had specks of gray, charming blue eyes, and scars littered the skin on his face and probably other areas of his body. He looked tired and ragged, but his face was kind despite his appearance.

He was dressed modestly in a shabby set of brown robes that had seen better days, worn leather shoes, and a dark green cloak that had been expertly patched.

His name was Professor R. J. Lupin, their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and it had been he who had cast his patronus to drive the dementors away.

"Where's my mum?" Talia asked again, getting anxious as she leaned her head on the side of the seat she was now sitting on.

She looked around the train compartment, spotting Harry and Ron sitting together on the seat across from her, both looking at her curiously. Brutus was on Harry's lap, and it appeared that Harry was struggling to keep the little ferret calm. Then there was Ron who had a plump rat on his lap, and it appeared that his rat was cowering away from Brutus by trying to wedge its body in the pocket of Ron's trousers.

There was something odd about that rat, Talia noticed. It smelled different then an animal. It almost had a human smell to it... but no, that wasn't possible. It was just a rat after all.

In the corner, on the floor beside Harry's leg, was a giant orange cat who was staring at Talia clinically.

Then there was Hermione, who was standing before her, and a new face she'd never seen before that was right beside Hermione. His eyes looked hauntingly familiar, as if she had seen them before, but she didn't know from where or why they were so familiar. They were a bright blue with specks of amber that you wouldn't have notice unless you looked closely for them. Then there was his scent, the smell of chocolates and musk that had relaxed and put her at ease before. It was a scent that was familiar, just like his eyes, and that enveloped her in a thick blanket, setting her at ease. There was something about this professor that made Talia curious…

"You're mothers not here," the professor said kindly, staring down at Talia with the same fascination and familiarity that Talia held on her face. "The wolf patronus is mine..."

* * *

><p>Remus found himself staring at Talia as the group of 1st years entered the Great Hall. She looked just like Isabella when she was that age, and it was hauntingly scary how much Talia could pass off as Isabella's twin. When he had rescued her from the Azkaban guard, her scent alone had been enough to set off alarms in his head. Then when he had bent down in the hallway, moved aside her hair to see her face clearly, he had nearly lost it. He immediately felt protective of her; as if she was his own young, though the full moon was rearing its ugly head and he blamed these sudden urges on his other self.<p>

Still, his need to protect her (or rather the wolf's need) had overpowered him, and he had made it his job to escort her personally into the castle. Not even with Harry, he had felt this sort of instant connection, and Harry was the spitting image of his deceased childhood friend—his best mate.

There was just something about Talia that made him wonder…

Aimlessly he picked at his food, looking up every so often at Talia and then to the professor beside him, Severus Snape. Maybe that was why Talia looked so much like Isabella—Severus and Isabella were cousins, and there was bound to be a resemblance, considering the fact that they were family. It made him wonder if he knew Isabella's whereabouts, though he'd never find the courage to ask.

He knew Severus well enough to know that he wouldn't tell him, anyways.

However, Talia's eyes… there was something hauntingly familiar about them. They were blue, like his, but they were brighter yet dark all at once, with the tiniest flecks of gold around the pupil that was hardly noticeable unless you looked hard enough.

With a sigh Remus leaned back in his seat, twirling his fork aimlessly as Professor McGonagall -Hogwarts' Transfiguration teacher- began calling names off a role of parchment. It threw him back to his own Sorting Ceremony, where he had stood beside Isabella all those years ago…

* * *

><p><em>The Great Hall was buzzing with excited whispers as Professor McGonagall called out names from a roll of parchment. The 1st years were currently being sorted into their respective houses, and Remus Lupin was nervous. He stood beside a small girl he had met whilst on the Hogwarts Express, her name was Isabella Prince, but she had insisted that he call her Izzy.<em>

"_I'm scared," she whispered, tugging on Remus' robe sleeve, "what if I'm not sorted into Slytherin or Ravenclaw? My mum and dad were in those houses; they'll be disappointed."_

_Remus felt like hissing at the mention of Slytherin. He had become fast friends on the train with a boy by the name of Sirius Black, who came from a long line of pureblood Slytherins, but Sirius wasn't like them. He had told Remus how horrible it was to live with prejudice parents, thinking that they were better than everyone was for being of purest blood and belonging to Slytherin House. Sirius didn't agree with their sadistic beliefs that muggle-borns had stolen the magic from witches and wizards and therefore, needed to be killed._

_That night Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor; he could have died with a smile on his face, for Gryffindors were brave at heart and noble... and alleged blood-traitors. It would surely steam his parents to know that one of their own hadn't been sorted into Slytherin._

_Isabella wasn't what someone would classify as the role model Slytherin. She was kind from the get-go, a warm smile brightening up her honey colored eyes, and she possessed a laugh that had instantly warmed Remus to the core. She hadn't even teased him about his scars, like many of the older Slytherins had, and instead expressed concern upon seeing them._

_However, she wanted to be sorted into Slytherin House the most because of her father, the person she looked up to the most. And even though both Sirius and James had bashed her about her choice, James telling her that Gryffindor was the best, she just sat there with a smile on her face, and hadn't let James and Sirius' teasing get the best of her._

"_Whatever house you get sorted into won't change who you—"but Remus never got a chance to finish his sentence, for Professor McGonagall had shouted his name._

"_Lupin, Remus John!"_

_Nervously he stepped away from the cluster of 1st years that were all gathered in the middle of the Great Hall, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. His palms began to sweat and his throat began to feel dry. He was about to crack; his stomach churned and his tongue felt swollen, choking him whenever he'd try to swallow back his spit._

_Professor McGonagall smiled at him as he approached her, stepping aside so that Remus would have room to take a seat upon a stool that was facing the rest of the student body. The moment he sat down, Remus began to search the cluster of 1st years for Isabella, spotting her easily with her cousin Severus at her side. Surprisingly, James (who had been standing on his other side before he left) had now taken up his former spot beside Isabella. And there was no doubt in Remus' mind that James was concocting a way to ask about Lily, the redheaded friend of Isabella he'd immediately set his eyes on... much to the obvious distaste of one Severus Snape._

_Isabella wasn't paying much attention to James though. She was smiling and looking right at Remus, her golden eyes lighting up and resembling the color of shimmering honey. It made his stomach do a flip, and all nervousness left him—he felt invincible._

_Suddenly there was a voice in his head; it was raspy, sinister, with a humorous edge that made Remus' skin crawl—it belonged to the Sorting Hat._

"_Hmm… a werewolf; how very curious. I see a mind wise beyond your age, and lots of vulnerability, oh yes. You are loyal too, and can be cunning—"_

"_Not Slytherin," Remus thought in a panic, "please, not Slytherin."_

_The Sorting Hat let out a deep, rich laugh, and if it had a head, it would have shaken it in amusement._

"_No, not Slytherin," it laughed, "but you will do marvelously in—"_

* * *

><p>"<strong>SLYTHERIN<strong>!"

Remus, startled, sat upright, being pulled out of his thoughts by the startling and unforgettable voice that belonged to the Sorting Hat. The Slytherin table was going wild now that their newest member had been announced, with Draco Malfoy being their ringleader. The blond boy was standing, with his arms in the air and his hands clenched into fists, the biggest smile imaginable gracing his lips. For a moment, Remus was confused, but it wasn't until he saw Talia hop off the stool that he realized what had just happened.

Just like Isabella, this tiny girl had been sorted into Slytherin, and unbeknownst to Remus, Severus was eyeballing him, a smug, self-satisfied and knowing smirk on his lips.


	8. The Morning After

_Dearest Isabella,_

_On the train ride to Hogwarts, one of the Azkaban guards somehow managed to enter the Hogwarts Express. Talia fell victim to the Dementor's Kiss, though did not suffer any lasting injuries that would require her to be sent home or to St. Mungo's. Fear not, she is well, and a trip to the infirmary wasn't even needed._

_Lupin was on the train, and reacted swiftly, casting his patronus to ward off Talia's attacker. She is fine, and I'll have you know that Lupin deemed it necessary to escort Talia up to the castle personally, therefore taking away her chance to ride up in the boats as the other 1st year do._

_The men you pick out amaze me, seriously…_

_Sincerely,_

_S. S._

_PS: Talia was sorted into Slytherin—thank Merlin. I don't know what I would have done if that blasted hat would have shouted "__**Gryffindo**__**r**"._

* * *

><p>Isabella sighed, rereading Severus' letter before giving the post owl a treat and sending it off on its way. Leave it up to Talia to get herself into something of this magnitude on her very first day at Hogwarts, intentionally or not. It made a shiver run down Isabella's spine. Who knew what else Talia could get herself into? She was the daughter of a Marauder after all—just look at Harry. The Philosophers' Stone his 1st year, and than a Basilisk his 2nd year.<p>

Merlin only knew what that boy would get into this year.

A sad smile crossed Isabella's lips as she thought of Harry. Lily had been her best friend, and their friendship had grown stronger despite the fact that they had been sorted into different houses. Hell, they had even made a pact: if Lily were to have a daughter, then Isabella and Remus were to be the godparents, and if Lily were to have a son, then James would appoint Sirius the godfather.

Lily was loyal and genuine, as was James and even Sirius—Peter too. Isabella missed them all dearly; they were true friends (although with Sirius' betrayal Isabella didn't know what to think). They were nothing like Narcissa. She could laugh easily with them, talk about anything she wanted, and not have to watch herself. With Narcissa, she needed to be careful of what she said, but she was still grateful for Narcissa's friendship. She had someone to lean on if anything ever happened.

"Thank Merlin Remus was there," Isabella whispered to herself, feeling like a hypocrite, but smiling nonetheless as she thought of him.

Unknowingly he had saved his own daughter; Isabella would be forever grateful. Maybe she'd even write him a letter, but of course she wouldn't disclose her name; just Mrs. Snape would do.

Folding up the piece of parchment and setting it in her robes for safekeeping, Isabella turned around and walked out of the sitting room of her parent's manor.

Prince Manor was a large house of many stories similar to that of the Malfoy's... but with a more bright and inviting aura, thanks to her mother. It was surrounded by intricate gardens that held any flower imaginable. In addition, a large lake was home to many white swans, just off the east of the house. Enclosing the house were tall wrought-iron gates that permitted only family members to pass through them as if they were smoke; outsiders would have to gain entrance through an invitation. The interior was sumptuously decorated with ornate furniture from all around the world, marble fireplaces large enough to be easily used for Floo purposes, gilt mirrors and picture frames, and a large foyer with a grand staircase leading up to the second floor. The floors were all made of white marble, covered mostly in expensive Arabian carpets made of the finest threads, and large windows made up almost every wall in the manor, allowing vast amounts of light to flood into the home.

The color scheme was that of royal blue, forest green, silver, and gold.

Isabella had decided to spend the day with her parents, Sophia and Elijah Prince, for Spinner's End was now hauntingly quiet with the absence of Talia.

Isabella never liked being alone.

"Where were you? Your father mentioned you went into the sitting room downstairs," asked Sophia from the top of the grand staircase, looking down and over the veranda at her daughter, who stood on the foyer.

Sophia Prince (née Ravencroft) was a short, slender woman with delicate features. She had long dark hair and pale green eyes with the softest hints of blue and hazel. A smile was always on her face, and as her name implied, she came from a long line of powerful pureblooded Ravenclaws.

"I got a letter from Sev," Isabella smiled weakly, calling her cousin by his old childhood nickname. "Talia's been sorted into Slytherin."

"**YES!**" came the booming voice of Elijah Prince, seemingly out of nowhere.

Both women rolled their eyes and shared a small laugh.

"I told you that girl would take after her mother and father!" Elijah grinned, strolling into view and standing beside his wife. "Slytherin blood runs through her, just like I said! No Ravenclaw in this family!"

Sophia rolled her eyes and looked up at her husband. Elijah was a tall man who looked very much like his nephew, Severus. He was pale, had the same hooknose, same scowl, same little smirk, same dark hair, but his eyes were different. They were like his daughter's, a bright hazel that resembled liquid gold, warming his sharp facial features.

"Yes _daddy_," Isabella laughed nervously as she walked up the stairs to join her parents, "she takes up after Severus and me…"

* * *

><p>Talia spotted Draco easily as she entered the Great Hall with her new friend, Astoria Greengrass. Astoria was a 1st year, just like she, and the two had hit it off marvelously the night before as they waited for their names to be called up by Professor McGonagall during the Sorting Ceremony. Astoria had long brown hair, twinkling green eyes, and a soft smile that was infectious. She had a sister that was in Slytherin too, a few years older, by the name of Daphne.<p>

In addition, much too both girl's delight, they shared a dormitory with three other 1st year Slytherins.

"There you are," Draco sighed exaggeratedly, standing from his seat at the Slytherin table to greet Talia with a short hug, "you disappeared last night once the feast was over."

"_Professor Snape_," Talia said with a chuckle, "wanted me to spend a few hours with him to make sure I was okay. You know, with the dementor and all. I got back to the common room really late, sorry."

Draco nodded, and then looked over to the girl that was standing beside Talia. He hadn't seen her before, she was probably new. A flicker of jealously crossed him, for he never really liked to share his things, and that included Talia. Talia was his friend; he had known her first, and therefore he felt entitled to be the center of attention when it came to her.

"Oh, this is Astoria Greengrass," Talia smiled, "Astoria, meet Draco Malfoy; and Draco, meet Astoria."

"Greengrass," Draco pondered, having heard the name before. "I think my mother knows your parents."

Astoria nodded eagerly, blushing slightly as she said, "we invited you to our New Years Eve gala last year, but only your parents showed up. They said you were ill."

Draco arched an eyebrow, the memory coming back to him with ease. His mother had informed him that they had been invited by the Greengrass family to partake in their New Years Eve gala, but Draco had thrown a fit about it. He didn't wanted to go, and thus his Aunt Izzy had saved the day by letting him stay with them at Spinner's End until he was due back at Hogwarts. It had been a memorable New Years Eve with Talia. They had turned Brutus pink, and charmed him to dance and sing whenever Severus entered the room to annoy him.

"Sorry about that," he said casually, looking at Talia with a smirk.

_So he lied_, Talia thought, a small smile on her lips.

Astoria blushed harder, looking down at her shoes. She had a crush on Draco, which surprisingly didn't bother Talia—at least not as much as the crush Pansy had…

"Well well, enough about that," Draco smiled, turning around to look down at Goyle, who was seated with his back facing him, "Talia, you're sitting beside me, and your friend can sit… next to you I suppose."

With that being said, Draco pushed Goyle out of the way to make room for Talia and her friend, laughing as Goyle's bowl of cereal flew out of his hands and landed on the person sitting beside him, Pansy Parkinson. There was milk all over Pansy's lap, and tiny bits of cereal clinging onto the front of her Slytherin robes. Everyone immediately burst into a fit of laughter, which caused Pansy to screech bloody murder before fleeing from the Great Hall.

"That was mean," Astoria said quietly as she sat down beside Talia, who sat beside Draco.

Talia nodded, showing her that she agreed. Although she didn't like Pansy, because Pansy had made it obvious that she didn't like her in return, no one deserved to be humiliated in such a way.

"**Anyways**," Draco put emphasis on the word so that he could be heard over the laughter of his fellow Slytherins, "how are you holding up? Something like being attacked by a dementor can be traumatizing, I've heard."

"Well…," said Talia, "I can't remember much because I fainted—"

Draco snorted. "Potter fainted too!"

Talia frowned. She wasn't aware that Harry had been attacked as well; Harry hadn't told her anything as they road together the rest of the way to Hogwarts. Maybe that was why Professor Lupin had offered him chocolate as well as her—Talia cursed mentally. She realized that she had never thanked Professor Lupin for saving her or for escorting her into the castle.

"Did you ever find Brutus? I forgot the ask you about that."

Talia blinked, being brought out of her thoughts by Draco. She nodded, and then let her eyes roam around the Great Hall until they settled on the staff table. In the middle was Dumbledore's throne with the man himself sitting on it elegantly, picking at his breakfast absentmindedly as he talked to Professor McGonagall, who sat at his right side. Then there was her uncle, who was seated at the other end of the table; his black teaching robes made him look like an overgrown bat, and it made her giggle. Talia waved at him, casting him a large smile—it made the professor who sat beside him look up at her.

Professor Remus Lupin looked more put together than he did on the Hogwarts Express. His sandy hair was combed to the side, his shabby robes looked neatly pressed, and he didn't look as tired as he had the night before. There was also that faint smell of chocolates and musk that radiated off him, which made Talia feel at ease.

"Horrible scars," Astoria murmured as she watched the new professor. "I wonder how he got them."

"You should ask," Draco laughed mockingly, "that'll be a great story for _Show and Tell_."

Talia elbowed him to make him shut up, a move that had not been ignored by the other Slytherins that sat around them. They all looked at Draco, waiting for him to explode on Talia as he would normally if anyone else had just told him to shut up, but it never happened. Draco merely elbowed Talia back, laughing wholeheartedly which scared the other Slytherins. Draco never let himself be bossed around; it was a shocking sight.

Feeling suddenly ashamed of herself, Talia looked away from Remus and mumbled, "I never thanked him…"

"Who cares," Draco shrugged, making Talia roll her eyes.


	9. Lavender and Chocolates

With her back pressed to the stonewall, and her bottom firmly on the floor, Talia sat. She was twirling her wand absentmindedly between her fingers, trying to ignore Peeves the Poltergeist, who kept flying above her head, talking his head off about water balloons and Merlin only knew what else. Talia, frankly, wasn't interested in whatever it was that he had to say. He was bothering her, actually. Talia wanted to listen in on what was going on behind the door that was across from her, the door that led into the potions lab, but Peeve's voice, and the wood that muffled the sound of her uncle and mother's conversation, were making it difficult to eavesdrop.

The unexpected visit from her mother only meant one thing to Talia: she was being pulled out of Hogwarts. It was a thought that caused her to panic at first as she was taken out of her morning Divination class by Professor Severus Snape himself, and even his somewhat kind words of reassurance weren't all that… _reassuring_. Severus' idea of "things will be okay," was very much different from Talia's idea.

Yawning, Talia tucked her wand back in her skirt pocket and pulled her legs up to hug them. She rested her forehead on the top of her knees, and exhaled a long breath of air she hadn't even been aware of holding.

"What did you do?" Peeves snickered from above.

Talia tried her best to ignore him, but soon found out that if she ignored Peeves, he'd only ask his question again, and again, and again, until he got an answer he deemed worthy.

"I didn't do anything," Talia told the elfish poltergeist honestly, not lifting her head from the tops of her knees. "Now please, go away."

Peeves laughed loudly -obnoxiously- before drifting down low until he was in front of Talia. "Your mummy's here…"

"I'm aware of that," Talia mumbled.

"You probably did something naughty," Peeves giggled, waiting for Talia to lift her head and look up at him, something she never did, which caused him to give out an indignant huff. "Spoiled brat..."

This caused Talia to look up, and she glared at him, tempted to stick her tongue out and blow a raspberry at him, but that would have been childish. "I am **not **spoiled."

"Oh, but you are," Peeves smirked, "while everyone else is in class, **you**, the daughter of the _Potion's Monster_, is here out of class, sitting in the hallway no less—doing nothing."

"Father said mum wanted to see me," Talia said meekly, "I'm not spoiled."

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes you are!"

"No!" Talia yelled, glaring up at Peeves. "I am not spoiled! I have to work hard for the things I have."

"But do you see anyone else getting a free pass to see their mummy?"

The realization of his words stung, for Talia knew what he was trying to say. She was related to a Hogwarts' professor, and therefore it was expected that she got special treatment. Who else thought like this, other than Peeves? She was now dreading going to her very first potions lesson on Thursday: she had been bumped up and was now with the 3rd year potions class. However, it wasn't her fault. Her uncle had made her take a potions proficiency test and she exceeded the knowledge of that of a 1st and 2nd year student. She was just smart, not spoiled.

Talia's sensitive ears suddenly picked up on the soft padding of feet as someone approached the corridor she sat in. She grew nervous, wondering whom it was that was headed her way, and more importantly, who in their right mind would wander into the dungeons. Judging by the heaviness of the footfalls, Talia could tell that it was an adult, probably male, and probably a professor. What was a professor doing in the dungeons, Talia asked herself, but then she remembered something that Dumbledore had said during the feast; about Sirius Black who had escaped from Azkaban, and about teachers now taking on surveillance rounds during their free periods and at night.

The sweet scent of chocolates filled Talia's nostrils, and she turned her head to the left, which was the direction in which the footsteps were coming from. None other than Remus turned the corner, now walking down the corridor she was in. His sandy brown hair was combed back, his brown tweed suit hung off his shoulders, and his greenish-black teaching robes billowed elegantly behind him as he walked.

"Professor Lupin," Talia greeted him as he approached her, standing up quickly and smoothing down her skirt.

Remus stopped and turned, staring into hauntingly familiar blue eyes with faint specks of amber. Talia smelled like lavender, a scent that always reminded him of Isabella, but there was another scent about her, a scent he had noticed on the train when he had first met her. This scent made the wolf that resided within him want to jump out and care for her, to protect her from the evils of the earth and anything else it could take a swipe at.

Talia smelled like lavender and chocolates, and the scent alone was enough to take him back to his 6th year at Hogwarts…

* * *

><p><em>The grounds were white, and the air was chilled. The trees that made up the Forbidden Forest were dusted with white specks of snow, as were the many towers of Hogwarts. In addition, even a few slabs of ice had formed on the shores of the Black Lake. It was a few days before Christmas, classes were already let out for the winter holiday, and only a few students were left in the castle, taking advantage of the cold weather to snuggle up with their significant other.<em>

_Remus and Isabella were fine examples of that._

_In the Gryffindor common room they laid, snuggling up against one another and in front of a roaring fire that cast an orange glow about the room. Remus was laying down with his head using the armrest of the couch as a pillow, and Isabella laid on top of him, half asleep with her head using his chest as a pillow._

_It was the middle of the night, and almost everyone who had stayed for the holiday were up in their dormitories, paying no mind to the new couple who had made things official at the beginning of the month._

_Both were in their pajamas, which for Isabella meant a pair of Remus' cotton shorts and one of his long-sleeved shirts. Remus never minded when Isabella would knick random articles of clothing from his trunk. There was just something about seeing her in his clothes that always made him smile._

"_Have I told you… you smell delicious," Isabella mumbled against his chest, leaning up to give him a kiss on his collarbone before resting her head back down._

_Remus looked down at his best friend, his confident, his everything, and was proud that he could now call her his girlfriend in front of everyone and no longer have to settle for his daydreams._

"_What do I smell like, Izzy? I took a shower earlier, mind you."_

_Isabella chuckled against his chest, yawned, and said, "You smell like chocolates; what do I smell like?"_

_Remus, who was one to never miss out on an opportunity to be closer to Isabella, sat up slightly and pulled Isabella up with him, looking down at his girlfriend with heavy lidded eyes. With a smile, he leaned down and kissed her lips, then moved on to her neck before stopping and taking in a deep breath._

"_You smell like lavender," he murmured against the skin below her ear, a small growl escaping his lips._

_Isabella chuckled and sat up, straddling him. Her hands were placed on his chest and either one of her legs were on either side of Remus' hips. With a small smile, she leaned down and kissed his nose, whispering, "Our kids are gonna smell like lavender and chocolates…"_

* * *

><p>Remus cleared his throat and looked away from Talia, staring at a torch on the stonewall that had suddenly become very interesting. Why did Talia's scent have to remind him of that particular memory, when he and Isabella were still in the "honeymoon" stage of their relationship, and they'd talk about having children and marriage, both knowing that it was better to indulge their fantasies rather than dwell on the seriousness of the situation and the world around them?<p>

It made him sigh.

"So, I just wanted to say, um…" Talia's voice brought Remus back to the present, and he looked away from the torch, to Talia. She was small, which made him have to look down at her, and from the angle that he was in, he could have sworn that he was talking to Isabella during her 1st year. The resemblance was uncanny, and the shadows provided by the dungeon played with Talia's face. If her eyes were topaz then Remus would have lost it.

"I wanted to thank you for everything that you did, in regards to the dementors and escorting me to the castle," Talia said softly with a small smile.

Even her smile resembled Isabella's—_good Godric…_

"You're… very welcome, Natalia," he said stiffly, offering her a smile.

Before Talia could say anymore, the door to the potion's lab opened, and a burst of lavender scented air hit Remus in the face, putting him on full alert. He half-expected Isabella to come skipping out of the door, but his face fell when he realized how silly a thought that had been. It was just Severus standing there, which made him wonder why today of all days the scent of lavender hung heavily on him. When they had sat beside one another at the staff table the smell wasn't there, so why was right now different?

"Lupin," Severus said icily. "I see you've caught up with my _daughter_."

"She's a charming soul," Remus said with a small smile, bowing his head slightly.

It was then that Severus looked down at Talia, telling her with his eyes that he wanted her to enter the room.

"It was nice seeing you again, Professor Lupin," Talia said with a small smile. "I can't wait for our first lesson."

"I can't wait to teach you," said Remus, offering her one final smile before Talia turned and entered the room.

"Good day Lupin," Severus said lowly, narrowing his eyes.

"You too, Severus."

With that being said between the two, Severus turned on his heels and shut the door behind him, casting a silent silencing spell to keep unwanted ears from listening in on the conversation his cousin was sure to have with her daughter.

"Gods, I couldn't sleep until I saw you," Isabella said with a small smile. "Your uncle said you were okay but you know how paranoid I can get."

Talia nodded, pulling away from the tight hug her mother had enveloped her in. So, her mother had come to check up on her, to make sure she was okay and unharmed. Did this mean that Isabella wasn't going to take Talia away?

"Well, say something, my love," Isabella chuckled. "You're awfully quiet, which isn't like you."

Talia felt uneasy as she asked, "So you're not taking me away?"

"What do you mean by: I'm not taking you away?"

"You're gonna let me stay here?"

Isabella looked at Severus, who merely shrugged his shoulders. "Of course you're staying. Why would I take you away?"

"Well, with what happened on the train and all," Talia said meekly.

Isabella smiled and kneeled down to by at eye level with her daughter. Taking her hand, she said, "No, you're staying for now… but I swear to the Gods that if something else happens, I'm sending you to France."

Talia smiled, lunging forwards to take her mother into a bone-crushing hug.


	10. Hermione's New Friend

Talia let out a sigh of relief as she entered the Great Hall for lunch. Her mother wasn't taking her away from Hogwarts, and the news was like having a weight being lifted off her shoulders. It had only been one day of being officially in school, but with what she had experienced so far (like learning how to fly her very own broom), Talia was sure that she wouldn't leave Hogwarts without putting up a fight.

Hungrily she began to make her way towards the Slytherin table, not spotting Draco or Astoria anywhere and not really caring. She was hungry and the thought of eating alone didn't bother her. She just wanted food, and she wanted it now.

"Hey, Natalia!"

It was the voice of Harry, and the fact that a Gryffindor was calling out to Talia didn't bother her. The fact that he was using her first name _did _bother her. She liked being called by her nickname—Talia, and she made a mental note to tell him about it.

Talia was aware of the silly and pointless rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and in all honesty, she could have cared less. So what if Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin hated each other? Harry looked like a genuine friend, and it didn't matter to Talia that he belonged to a different House, or that he was the famous _Harry Potter_ that had defeated the Dark Lord.

Harry was just a regular person; there was nothing special about that, at least not to Talia. She wanted friends, and even though she had Draco at her side, she wanted something different.

Talia spotted Harry's messy black hair over at one end of the Gryffindor table, and saw that he was sitting with Hermione and Ron on either side of him. Ron was digging into what looked like a plate of buttered rolls, while Hermione looked flustered and had a book opened in front of her. For some reason, Talia got the impression that this was the norm "look" for them.

Cautiously, Talia made her way over to the Gryffindor table, taking the seat across from Harry and his friends and offering them a smile.

"How are you feeling?" Ron asked curiously, pausing from his rolls to give Talia the once over. She was a Slytherin and that bothered him, but she seemed nice, and Hermione really liked her, so he would try to be civil. If she pulled a "Draco", well, he wasn't sure what he'd do, but it wouldn't be pretty, and it would more than likely involve his older twin brothers.

"I'm good," Talia smiled, then looked over at Hermione, saying innocently, "better than her, it seems. What happened?"

Ron and Harry looked at each other, then to Talia, and then to Hermione before letting out groans. It was then that Hermione launched herself into a detailed rant on what had happened in her 3rd year Divination class, claiming that the class was a waste of time and that Professor Trelawney (Hogwarts' _alleged_ seer) was a fraud. It was very hilarious, Talia had to admit, and it made her anxious for her own Divination class.

"Hermione nearly cursed Trelawney," Harry put in, chuckling in amusement.

"But she settled for knocking down a crystal ball and storming out of the classroom," Ron added.

Talia shook her head, smiling as she watched Hermione roll her eyes.

"Arithmancy was also very unimpressive," Hermione quipped, "it's almost as useless as Divination!"

"Uh, okay," Talia giggled, having no idea what she was talking about for she didn't have Arithmancy. "What else happened?"

"You know, Hermione must be able to clone herself or something because she has Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, and Divination all at 9 o'clock," Ron said seriously, "she was in Divination with us, so I don't know how she—"

"Like I said this morning," Hermione cut him off with a dark glare, "I have everything worked out with Professor McGonagall."

_They're a weird bunch, but I can get used to this_, Talia thought with a small smile, reaching out for the plate of small sandwiches that had appeared in front of her.

The Hogwarts' dinner tables had a knack for knowing what you wanted to eat.

"So, what's the deal with Malfoy?" Ron sneered; it was obvious to Talia that Ron didn't like Draco. Hell, she was surprised that they hadn't said anything back at the Hogwarts Express.

Talia allowed herself a chuckle before answering with, "I've known him since I was very little. His parents are my godparents, and my parents are his—"

"No wonder he's Snape's favorite," Ron grumbled.

Hermione rolled her eyes and inclined her head for Talia to continue. She was interested in the story between Talia and Draco. Never had she seen Draco act the way he had during the Sorting Ceremony. He had literally jumped out of his seat, and started yelling Talia's name with pride once she had been announced to be Slytherin's newest addition. It had intrigued Hermione automatically.

Talia and Draco had history, and it was obvious that it wasn't just _some_ friendship—there was something more there… and dare Hermione think it, it was almost endearing.

"I don't get why you don't really like him. He can be nice when he wants too—he's my best friend," Talia informed Ron. "He can be a prat at times, but knowing him as long as I have, you get used to it."

Ron was about to fire back some rude comment, but before he even managed to part his lips, Hermione had beat him to the punch. "Anyways, I'm assuming you have Transfiguration?"

Talia nodded. "I heard that Professor McGonagall turns into a cat."

"It's called an animagus," Hermione said very seriously.

Talia nodded, already knowing. Her mother was an animagus, an Arctic Wolf to be precise. It was because of her mother's ability to transform into an animal -a** wolf** specifically- that had made Talia sick near the full moon.

Talia remembered the first time she had asked her mother why she got sick on the full moon, and after hearing her mother's explanation as well as seeing her mother shift into a wolf, Talia had made a joke about being part-werewolf. Oh, how her mother had yelled at her for even joking about such a thing. When Talia had told Draco about it, after making him swear that he wouldn't utter a word, he had laughed loudly about it. It made her wonder why her mother hadn't found her joke funny as well. Even her uncle had smirked once hearing it!

"When you enter McGonagall's classroom you'll see a cat sitting on her desk," Harry informed, "it's her, so don't do anything stupid."

Ron noticed the slight glint in Hermione's eyes, and couldn't help but groan and rest his forehead on the tabletop. "Oh no, now you've got her started!"

Hermione ignored Ron. He was acting childish and she had an urge to hit him with her textbook, but she settled for informing Talia what to expect as a 1st year in Transfiguration. She had also informed Talia of what had happened in the 3rd year Transfiguration class: McGonagall had subtly insulted Trelawney, calling Divination an imprecise branch of magical study.

"Can she even do that?" Talia giggled, not believing that McGonagall had insulted a fellow teacher. It only made her even more anxious to attend Divination to see what the fuss over Trelawney was about.

"Apparently," Ron said while rolling his eyes, "she's the Deputy Headmistress, you know. I'm pretty sure she can do anything and get away with it."

That made Talia laugh, and she was thankful that she had made a friend in Hermione, Ron, and Harry… even if Ron made it obvious that he didn't really trust her because of her friendship with Draco.

"So, I assume you've already had your flying lesson with Madam Hooch—how was it?" Hermione asked with a sigh, looking more relaxed now that she had gotten everything off her chest.

"Ooh, I loved it!" Talia squealed, but then her excitement died down, and she raised a hand to rub a bump above her eyebrow that until now hadn't been noticed by the others. "My broom handle hit me though; I think I called it up too fast. Other than that, it was great! I can't wait for Quidditch to start, my mum talked about it with me and showed me some pictures—I've been dying to see a real match!"

Ron and Harry were beaming. Finally, Ron had someone who would know how he felt, since he too as a 1st year had hit his head with his broom handle. He was now more willing to overlook the fact that Talia was a Slytherin.

Harry was over the moon, excited to have another friend who seemed to be as interested in Quidditch as he.

"Hey, can one of you take me to the library? I doubt there are any muggle fiction books there, but I want to check it out."

Both Harry and Ron swore that they had seen tears forming in Hermione's eyes at Talia's request.

"They have a small fiction section that includes both magical and muggle stories," Hermione grinned.

"I've got Care of Magical Creatures in about an hour; will we have time?"

Both Harry and Ron gave each other a look.

"You wouldn't happen to have Care of Magical Creatures at 1:30, would you?" asked Harry, receiving a nod from Talia. "Great, you'll be sharing that class with the three of us!"

"Draco has it with us too," Talia informed them, smiling as she caught Ron gagging.

"Enough of that—if we leave now we'll have enough time to browse for books and maybe even check a few out," Hermione smiled.

Talia grinned, for she loved reading. She had grown up on muggle fairy tales, having had her uncle read them to her at night when she was younger. Severus would never admit to that, though, and Talia treated it as a secret between her and her beloved uncle. Not even Draco knew, and Talia told Draco nearly everything.

"We'll see you guys later," said Hermione to Ron and Harry, rising from her seat, "c'mon Natal-"

"Call me Talia!" Talia exclaimed.

Harry and Ron both chuckled, waving goodbye to their newest friend as Hermione nearly dragged her out of the Great Hall.

"Can we trust her?" Ron asked after a moment.

Harry shrugged, not really knowing what to say. "She's… friendly, but we'll see."


	11. The Book of Monsters

Standing at the top of one of the many hills that surrounded Hogwarts, was Talia and Hermione. Both were looking down in the direction of the Forbidden Forest, small smiles on their faces as they saw a group of students gather around a tall man. He was huge—gigantic in form and obviously not fully human. He had a full beard and a head of bushy black hair, and the only thing that you could see was his black beady eyes that twinkled with a smile. That was Rubeus Hagrid, their Care of Magical Creatures professor, and he was leading the group of students into the outskirts of the forest.

"I see Draco," Talia informed Hermione, "and Harry and Ron."

Hermione nodded, following Talia's line of sight. Harry and Ron were both looking down at their textbooks, quizzical expressions on their faces, and Draco was off to the side with his own group of friends, laughing and eating an apple as he made Crabbe carry his book for him.

"Word of advice before we part," Talia said with a mischievous smirk, "you gotta stroke the spine... but of course you already knew that."

Hermione stared at Talia in confusion, looking at the small, dark haired girl that began making her way down the hill and towards the group of students that belonged to her House. With furrowed brows, she looked down at the book she was holding: _The Monster Book of Monsters._ It was a large, brown furry book, with what appeared to be fangs along the edges, and black beady spider eyes on the front cover.

The book was literally alive.

"Stroke the spine," Hermione mumbled skeptically, shifting the book in her hands so that the spine was facing her, and with a tentative index finger, stroked the spine, which elicited a pleased purr from the book. "Wow..."

* * *

><p>"We're gonna be learnin' 'bout hippogriffs terday," Hagrid announced to the group of students before him, stopping them once he was in the center of a small clearing. "Now, c'mon gather 'round and make a circle!"<p>

"Merlin's beard, I'm so excited!" Talia giggled, pushing her way through the throng of students to get to the front.

Draco rolled his eyes. He could care less about Care of Magical Creatures, but it was either this or Muggle Studies, so despite not wanting to take part in the class activities, he followed behind Talia, shoving people out of his way until he was standing beside her at the front of the group. Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle were at his heels, each with a copy of the _Monster Book of Monsters_tucked under their arms—Crabbe with two since one belonged to Draco.

Hagrid smiled at all his students, his eyes lingering on a tiny dark haired girl in the front. She had a large smile on her face, and was bouncing on the balls of her feet; her arms wrapped around her textbook, pressing it tightly against her chest. That was Natalia Snape, he was sure. She had the same dark hair as both her parents, and it was obvious that she inherited her mother's enthusiasm for magical creatures.

There was no doubt in Hagrid's mind that Talia would be a genius in potions too, just like her father.

"Now, everyone open yer books!" Hagrid called out, and after a moment of silence and many unopened books, he sighed and said, "Don' tell me ye don' know how ter open yer books."

"You have to stroke the spine!" Talia exclaimed with an amused smile, stroking the spine of her book as a demonstration. The book growled at first, but then let out a loud and pleased purr, becoming quiescent and opening without trouble.

If Talia, or anyone for that matter, had attempted to open the book without stroking the spine, they would be missing quite a few fingers. The book, just like its name, was truly a monster in and of itself.

Hagrid was impressed with Talia, for she was the only one who had opened her book thus far, but then he reminded himself that this was Isabella and Severus' daughter. He remembered Isabella fondly; she had once helped him care for a newly born unicorn when in her 6th year.

He shouldn't have been surprised with how much Talia already knew, but he was, and so with a warm smile he said, "10 points ter Slytherin for Miss Snape's quick thinkin'."

Talia was beaming, proud that she had earned the first 10 points towards the House Cup.

"Good work," said Draco, turning to look down at her with an affectionate gaze that lasted half a second, before his trademark smirk took over his genuine smile.

"I bet her father told her that!" one of the Gryffindors in the back of the group yelled in an accusatory tone, making Talia roll her eyes.

She had a feeling this would happen more than once during her Hogwarts' school years. All because she was related to the Potions Master—everyone obviously thought she cheated, but if they only knew. Being a Snape was not easy. Her uncle didn't just give her the answers to everything like so many people assumed. Severus made her work hard for the things she had and knew.

If there was one thing Severus prided himself in, it was not asking for help, and he'd engraved this notion into Talia's head. He did not want her to have to depend on anyone but herself.

Talia did have the advantage of knowing what there was to expect though, since her uncle had informed her on what classes she was going to take before she arrived at Hogwarts. He'd even made her memorize passages from _Hogwarts: A History_.

All the Slytherin's went on the alert and formed a type of protective semi-circle near Talia, throwing back dirty looks and insults at their rival House. It was obvious that they would defend Talia to the death, and she was certain that it was only because she was the supposed daughter of their Head of House and Potion's Master.

_If anyone crossed the Potions __**Monster's**__ kid, all Hell would break loose_—Talia had to roll her eyes at that.

"Special treatment already," Talia sighed with annoyance, getting a nudge from Draco.

"You deserve it," he said with a grin, "it's not your fault that you're better prepared than they are."

With most of the students now having their books open, Hagrid began to wander deeper into the forest were a paddock was constructed. It held hippogriffs. He quickly summoned one of his favorites, a young male by the name of Buckbeak. The trick was to bow respectfully and wait for a bow in return, and once Buckbeak bowed at Hagrid, Hagrid opened the paddock gate and carefully guided Buckbeak out.

"C'mon Beaky," Hagrid said happily, leading the hippogriff back to his awaiting students with the help of dead ferrets as treats.

Talia nearly had a heart attack.

"Hey, we should donate Brutus to the cause," Draco said jokingly, his eyes on Hagrid as the burly man threw dead ferrets at Buckbeak.

Talia growled and narrowed her eyes, saying darkly, "Someone should turn _you_ into a ferret and donate _you_ to the cause."

"C'mon, you gotta admit—it was funny."

"No, it was not."

Draco chuckled and shrugged, bumping his shoulder playfully into Talia as Hagrid began his lesson.


	12. Conversations

In the Slytherin common room, Talia was sitting down in front of the fireplace, breathing heavily as she tried to focus on the task at hand—her missed assignment for Divination. She had to agree with Hermione, though— Divination was an utter and complete waste of time. She had missed out on an introduction to tarot cards that morning because her uncle had pulled her out of class, and now she was to make up the assignment by reading a particular spread of cards and deciphering their meaning. It hadn't even been an hour, and already Talia was starting to feel sick. Her head was pounding and her skin felt clammy; she kept getting the chills and the feeling of something crawling underneath her skin.

She couldn't focus on completing her homework.

With a defeated groan, Talia shut her textbook, rolled up the parchment she'd been working on and slipped it into her messenger bag, and then leaned back. Closing her eyes took off some of the edge of her headache and made her feel somewhat at ease, though it was still there, in the back of her mind, pounding away and making her eyes hurt.

She tried to push her thoughts to a more serene place, but that seemed impossible. Homework was no longer an issue (she's given up on it completely), but now she had time to reflect on the disaster that had happened during Care of Magical Creatures, and that brought on another wave of pain to her head.

Hagrid had allowed Harry to ride Buckbeak, and Draco had gotten jealous as the rest of the class applauded and cheered Harry on. He made the stupid mistake of walking up to Buckbeak without respectfully bowing, and Buckbeak had felt insulted, and attacked.

Hagrid's job was now on the line, as well as Buckbeak's life because Draco's father had gotten involved, henceforth the Ministry of Magic.

Talia didn't really understand why Draco had made such a fuss. Buckbeak had reacted naturally, and it was Draco's fault for approaching the creature without the proper precautions. But Draco had blown things out of proportion, claiming that his arm (which Buckbeak had scratched) was now badly injured, when in reality all that would be left of the attack was a sore arm that would be back to feeling better within a few days.

What irked Talia about the situation was that Draco had gotten a few days off classes, something that she'd found herself envying. The full moon would be rolling around in a few days, and she was starting to turn sluggish when it came to bookwork. If anyone needed a few days off, it was she!

Taking in another deep breath, Talia opened her eyes slowly and stared at the burning embers in the fireplace. The scent of burning wood was comforting, but her headache did not want to leave.

"What are you doing," asked Draco as he sat down beside Talia.

"Ugh," mumbled Talia, shrugging her shoulders. Suddenly everything seemed to bother her. She was growing sensitive and an overwhelming wave of anxiousness was trying to take over. She could hear everything going on around her; the crackling of the fire, gossiping voices up in the girl's dormitory, Draco's breathing as he sat beside her, the faint sound of a potion exploding somewhere in the dungeons.

Talia was already showing signs of a different behavior, and the moon hadn't even made a full cycle yet. She could only imagine how she'd become once the moon was full. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep, that was for sure.

"Talia," called Draco, staring at Talia in confusion. He'd been calling her name for a few seconds now, but she seemed to be staring off into space.

"The end of the week, I think," she said softly, turning slowly to look at him, "it'll be one of _those_ days."

At first, Draco didn't know what she was talking about, but then he remembered catching sight of a lunar calendar in Divination. The full moon would be at the end of the week, and he now understood why Talia's mood had suddenly switched. She had been happily annoying earlier in the day, and now he wondered if he'd be lucky enough to get her off the sofa without her falling asleep in his arms.

"You know, anyone would think you're a werewolf," he said teasingly. "Hey, how does your mum act during the full moon, since like, she's the actual animagus, you know?"

Talia shrugged, not really wanting to answer his question. Her mother always seemed jumpy around the full moon, but she put that on the fact that her mother always fussed over her during that time.

"Hey, do you think I'll have a seizure like last time?"

Draco raised an eyebrow, staring down at Talia for a few moments before shrugging. "I don't know; I've only seen it once."

Talia chuckled softly, remembering that night well. Draco had come over and she had dropped to the floor, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and foam came out of her mouth. Draco had screamed so loud that he had almost broken glass, and it had taken many hugs and words of reassurance from Isabella to calm him down.

That had been the day that Talia had witnessed Draco Malfoy crying on the lap of her mother… and that had also been the day that Draco had threatened to curse her if she ever uttered a word about what had happened.

"C'mon, dinner is almost ready, we should get going."

"Where is Astoria? I haven't really seen much of her today."

Draco shrugged. "I saw her with her sister. They already left for the Great Hall."

"Really... I thought she'd wait for me," Talia mumbled.

With a sigh, Draco smiled, saying, "She's got an older sister in Slytherin, what did you expect? Now, c'mon!"

"Can't you carry me? I'm tired."

"You're always tired."

"But I'm **REALLY** tired this time."

"But you're _always_ **REALLY** tired..."

"Ugh, okay—_fine_. I'll walk!"

"Good," Draco smiled smugly, "now c'mon, food awaits."

_If I survive dinner I'm taking a walk later_, Talia thought, looping her arm through Draco's as she allowed him to escort her out of the common room, _maybe all I need is some fresh air._

* * *

><p>Draco looked at Talia, staring at her blue eyes which had gained (more) specks of amber. He always found this oddity interesting. Her eyes changed color, from sapphire to amber, and it was very weird. One would expect the eye color to change to something similar, like gray to blue to green—but not Talia.<p>

Then again, Talia wasn't exactly what someone would call "normal."

"How's your head?" he asked out of mere politeness, remembering that she had been complaining about a headache earlier.

Talia shrugged. "I might see Madam Pomfrey if it doesn't get better."

"Right."

Talia gave Draco a tiny, reassuring smile, before looking down at her plate of food. She wasn't really in the mood for eating, and she didn't really want to be in such a crowded and loud place such as the Great Hall. But it was dinner, and dinner was something she couldn't miss unless she had a valid reason. Her uncle would surely see that she was missing, and then he'd be on her back, fussing about her health just like her mother.

Talia didn't feel like being babied.

"…he said it's called a _Patronus Charm_," Talia heard Harry say from his seat at the Gryffindor table. "You have to think of a fond memory to get it to work. Professor Lupin thinks that…"

Talia's head began to pulse as she cursed silently at the acoustics in the Great Hall. Her hearing had suddenly spiked and was as sharp as ever, and it was driving her towards insanity. She was tempted to place her hands over her ears, but then how would she explain her weird behavior?

_My_ _mother turns into a wolf and that's why I have wolf-ish tendencies_: oh yes, that would go swimmingly with the rest of her House—**not**.

"It's meant to keep dementors away because…" Harry's voice soon drowned underneath the sea of chattering voices that belonged to the other students, and Talia found herself taking a deep breath.

What an odd conversation that was—and to not even hear the end of it! Talia was instantly interested; having had her own experience with a dementor made her want to know anything she could on the subject, especially if it involved getting rid of the retched creature.

She made a mental note to check the library for a book on dementors and the patronus charm later.

The noise in the room was slowly dulling, much to Talia's happiness, and her headache was slowly going away as well. Hopefully, by the end of the night, she'd be acting as _normal_ as she usually did.

In this moment of peace, Talia allowed herself to look around the Great Hall, mainly up towards the staff table. Some professors were missing, like Hagrid, who was off in the owlry checking over the newest flock of post owls that had been delivered to the school late in the afternoon.

Dumbledore was deep in conversation with Professor Flitwick (the Charms teacher), and Professor McGonagall. Then there was Severus, who was staring into the crowd of students, mainly keeping his eyes on his House table, probably to make sure no one did anything stupid. Lastly, there was Remus, who until now, Talia realized, was staring right at her. Talia swore she saw a faint amber glow around his blue orbs as they locked eyes, but he sat too far from her, and he looked away too soon for her eyes to properly scan his gaze.

"Weird," Talia whispered, which got the attention of Draco as he looked down at her with expectant eyes.

"Did you say something?"

"Nope. Nothing."

"If you're sure," said Draco skeptically, turning to look up at the staff table once Talia turned away. Professor Lupin was staring at her, which made Draco raise an eyebrow.

* * *

><p>Carefully and as quietly as she could, Talia slipped out of the Slytherin common room once she was sure that everyone was asleep. She stood in the dark hallway, closing her eyes and listening for anything that sounded remotely like a footstep.<p>

No sounds were heard, so Talia walked down the corridor and up a flight of stairs, walking onto the first floor landing.

It was a cold night with dark clouds hanging high in the sky, the moon slightly covered by one particularly plump cloud that appeared to be filled with rain. The partial moonlight gave a dusty gloom to the Hogwarts grounds, and the castle itself looked eerie with half of its high towers and turrets hidden in shadows.

Talia kept her pace slow, her ears attentive to any noise she might hear, and her eyes remained sharp, vigilant of any sudden movements. She had been told of the caretaker, Mr. Filch, and of his cat, Mrs. Norris. If Mrs. Norris was spotted, Mr. Filch was sure to follow, and Talia did not want to get punished for wandering the halls afterhours, so any slight noise made her turn and look, eyes glaring into dark corners and down empty hallways.

While turning a corner she entered a corridor that was devoid of the usual torches and stone statues. She knew this corridor from earlier in the day: it led to the library. The only light that illuminated the corridor were the row of opened windows, now showing a slightly full moon.

Talia narrowed her eyes and walked up to one of the windows, leaning over the edge with her hands holding onto the sill. Her hair flowed past her shoulders and onto her back as a sudden gust of wind grazed her face, making her breathe in and inhale the thick smell of bark and wet leaves. It was refreshing, to say the least, but her thoughts were not deterred from the large round globe that was high up in the sky.

"Bloody moon," she mumbled remorsefully, "because of you I get sick."

A few moments of silence passed, and then there was the faint sound of footsteps. Talia immediately turned around, looking left and right, but there was no one there and the footsteps had suddenly vanished. It made her frown and shrug, so she turned once more and looked back up at the moon, her eyes transfixed on the shiny planet that was slowly being covered by clouds.

"Why would you get sick?"

Talia's eyes widened, and with one deep breathe, she knew who was standing behind her. The thick smell of chocolates, with that faint hint of musk—it was _him!_

_If I run he'll still report my name_, Talia argued with herself, _why didn't I go the other way? Maybe if I run—_

"Natalia," her Defense professor said softly, but sternly, placing a hand on her shoulder, which made her flinch but not pull away from his touch, "you haven't answered my question."

"Um…"

Remus sighed, pulled back a little on Talia's shoulder, and turned her fully around to face him. He quirked an eyebrow, though allowed a small smile to grace his lips. She was out of her dormitory and it was past curfew, but he couldn't find the heart to give her a detention or report her name to her Head of House. She looked like Isabella, and she was slowly becoming his weakness.

The fact that Talia smelled like a combination of lavender and chocolates also had something to do with it.

"Hi… um, goodnight Professor Lupin," Talia smiled shyly. "I was just… voicing out my thoughts—yeah. I don't really like the moon, but it doesn't make me sick; not _literally_. That would be just silly—"

"You're lying," he said calmly.

"I'm not…" Talia's voice died as she saw the look that her professor was giving her.

"I'm good at keeping secrets," he said firmly, his hand squeezing her shoulder as an act of reassurance. "If there's anything you'd like to say, you can tell me."

Either Talia could lie, or she could tell him that her mother was an aimagus… but then her mother could get into trouble. Isabella had told her that she was an **unregistered **animagus, and that because she refused to register with the Ministry there was a slight chance that she'd be arrested. Talia certainly didn't want that to happen.

"I'm not lying," Talia said too quickly for Remus' liking, "and I don't have any secrets… nothing serious anyways."

Talia chewed on her lip nervously as Remus narrowed his eyes. They had specks of gold in them, just like hers, and it almost looked like they were glowing, just as how hers would look like when the full moon was nearing. There was also something in Remus' eyes that made Talia believe that he had noticed these things about her, too.

_Weird_, Talia thought, _I wonder what secrets _**you**_ have, professor…_

"Well," said Remus, letting his hand drop from her shoulder and back to his side, "what are you doing out at such an hour? It's not safe. There are dementors guarding Hogwarts for a reason: for Sirius Black. With him out on the loose who knows what could happen."

Talia played with her hands, finally looking away from her professors' eyes, and down to her shoes. "I wasn't feeling good and I can't sleep, so I thought I'd go for a walk. I didn't really think about…_that_ person escaping Azkaban and all—how do you escape Azkaban anyways? I heard it's really impossible to get out of there."

Remus chuckled, finding her rambling adorable.

"Fresh air does ease the body and mind; it's why I decided to go for a stroll as well," he said to Talia's surprise. "I'll let you walk with me, just so that you don't get into trouble. But we'll keep this short, since you have to be in your dormitory and you've got class tomorrow morning."

"Thanks," Talia said lamely, offering him a sheepish grin before the two of them turned on their heels, and walked in the direction of the library.

_He may be kind of… weird, but I like this professor…_


	13. Potions and Defense

It was no surprise when Talia showed up for 3rd year double-potions. Everyone was secretly expecting it. She was Natalia** Snape** after all, daughter of the Potions Master—it would have been odd for her to be in potions with the 1st years. It was just one of those things that were expected of her.

Currently Talia sat with Pansy and Crabbe, sharing a long wooden workbench with them. Each had their own cauldron and had been given an hour to complete a simple Shrinking Potion—Talia finished hers in less than thirty minutes. Now she sat with a bored expression on her face, acting as unofficial-supervisor to her fellow Slytherin classmates. Crabbe was working well on his own, which was surprising. His potion was slightly darker than it should have been, though it would still prove to be usable with the kinks worked out of it. It was Pansy that was having a hard time getting her potion to mix properly, and although Talia had tried to hint that Pansy was stirring in the wrong direction, Pansy just ignored her.

_Oh, for Merlin's sake! Are you kidding me_, Talia thought with an annoyed sigh, biting her bottom lip to keep herself from shoving Pansy aside and yelling at her.

The potion needed to be stirred counterclockwise—Pansy was stirring it clockwise.

"You know," Crabbe started off, setting his ladle aside, "you're doing it wrong."

Pansy scoffed and ignored Crabbe, stirring her potion as she saw fit. Talia was beginning to get anxious now. Maybe it was the fumes of the other potions around her, or maybe it was the sound of bubbling caldrons, but she was now resisting the urge to lunge and attack Pansy.

Midway through class—with Pansy finally taking Crabbe's words into consideration after her cauldron nearly exploded, Draco walked into the room with a note from the infirmary. The heavy bandage on his arm, which he'd been sporting since Buckbeak attacked him, had been replaced with a simple sling, and his sick-leave was over.

Surprisingly, Severus ordered Harry and Ron to help Draco with the assigned potion.

"Prepare the needed ingredients for Mr. Malfoy," Severus drawled, looking down at Ron and Harry with slightly narrowed eyes, just daring the two Gryffindors to defy him.

"But—"

"10 points from Gryffindor for talking back," Severus hissed. "If you have anything else to say, I'll be sure to make it 20."

Pansy began to snicker, making Talia roll her eyes as she thought, _why don't you take 10 points from us since Pansy can't do anything right!_

Sighing and resting her chin on her palm as she leaned on the bench, Talia gave Harry and Ron a weak smile once Severus walked away. Harry smiled sadly, Ron looked annoyed, and Draco hadn't even noticed her since he was too busy looking down his nose at Harry and Ron.

"_Your father is a—_," Ron mouthed, before being interrupted by a jab in the ribs from Harry's elbow.

_Defense better be good_, Talia thought with a small chuckle, diving into her potions textbook and starting on the extra credit that her uncle had given her—not that she needed it, but it would give her something to do until class ended. She was to do 50 review questions, and she wanted to get them done before the bell rang.

* * *

><p>Talia walked in with Astoria to their 1st year <em>Defense Against the Dark Arts<em> class later that day. She was ecstatic to finally be able to learn serious wand-work. Her mother had been teaching her a few spells and charms before starting Hogwarts, and Draco too had been keeping her informed with what he was learning in class, but to now actually be able to experience it first hand was something that Talia was never going to forget. She pulled Astoria with her eagerly, making sure they got a seat at the very front of the classroom, right in front of the professor's desk.

Chocolates and musk wafted through the air, a scent that Talia had already gotten used to in so short a time. It amazed her how it was only Remus' scent that she seemed to always be on the lookout for, even if it wasn't intentional. She could smell remnants of it in the halls, or in the library at the very back where she was sure he spent some of his time when he wasn't in his quarters, or his classroom. Strangely enough, it made her feel safe. It was like a warm blanket that enveloped her, driving all bad thoughts away and making her not feel so… alone.

"What are we going to do today, Professor Lupin?" Talia asked with a grin, sitting on the edge of her seat as she smiled up at Remus.

The walk they had taken the night before had been relaxing, and surprisingly the initial awkwardness had vanished after a few awkward sentences. In the span of an hour, Talia had been comfortable enough to talk Remus' ear off, and although she wasn't aware of it, he had equally enjoyed the little bonding time they'd shared. Talia reminded him so much of Isabella that it was painful, but Remus felt a sort of kinship with her; it was something that he'd never felt with Isabella, but he liked it very much.

"We'll be taking a trip to the staff room today, actually," Remus said with a smile.

Astoria furrowed her brows. "What are we going to do there, sir?"

There was a mischievous glint in Remus' eyes, making him look years younger. "I think you all can handle a bit of advanced magic. I'm teaching everyone a certain spell today, considering that there is a certain something in the staff room that I'm sure you all will be interested in."

Talia smiled. Remus was being coy, and she liked that. It gave him a certain playfulness that not all professors allowed their students to see.

The class divided into two single file lines, Gryffindors with Gryffindors and Slytherins with Slytherins. All walked out of the classroom with Remus taking the lead. It was quiet as they walked down the hall, the occasional murmur of a conversation from the students breaking the silence.

Unbeknownst to everyone else, Talia and Remus heard the faint sounds of laughter as they neared the staff room. It was obnoxious and high-pitched—it was Peeves.

"Just my luck," Remus murmured softly, placing a hand in his pocket and gripping his wand.

He led the students up to a pair of large, plain wooden doors. There was a lock in the center, large and ornate. As Remus slipped his other hand into his other pocket, producing a key just as large as the lock, the obnoxious laughter of Peeves grew loud enough for everyone to hear. With a flash of light, Peeves appeared above the students, floating lazily through the air and whistling a familiar tune that made Remus grip his wand tightly, nearly breaking it. It had been years since he had last heard that dreaded song…

"_Looney, loopy, Lupin_!"

Sighing in frustration and doing his best to ignore Peeves, Remus put the key into the lock, only to find that a large wad of freshly chewed gum obstructed the keyhole. Peeves had done it, he was sure, and as much as he wanted to ignore Peeves, he had no other choice but to ask him to remove it. He turned to look up at Peeves, tilting his head to the side and giving the poltergeist an expectant look as he patiently waited.

"Peeves…" Remus hissed, a small scowl creeping onto his lips, "will—"

"_Looney, loopy, __**Lupin**_," Peeves sung loudly, swooping down low to blow a raspberry in Remus' face.

Talia was standing behind Remus, with Astoria by her side, and both girls turned to each other and smiled in amusement, letting out soft giggles. Attentively they watched Remus and Peeves exchange a few words before Remus' wand was raised and pointed at the poltergeist. Again, Talia and Astoria turned to look at each other, both their eyebrows raised this time.

"What do you think he's gonna do?" Astoria asked softly, her voice tinted with a slight tinged of excitement.

Talia kept quiet, watching Remus closely. He had a small smirk on his lips and a look of determination. His lips uttered a soft spell, and then seconds later a bright wad of pink gum shot out of the keyhole and up Peeve's nose, making the poltergeist choke before angrily flying down the hall and out of sight.

"That was brilliant!" Talia exclaimed, gaining many disapproving scowls from her fellow Slytherin classmates.

They all hated Remus, and she couldn't understand why. Maybe it was his shabby robes…

"Now that that's taken care of…" Remus smiled as he put his wand back in his pocket, retrieving the key he had taken out earlier and unlocking the door that led into the staff room.

The staff room was vast, with hardly any furniture, and very clean. The afternoon sun filtered in through large windows, making the hardwood floor glitter, and specks of dust could be seen floating through the air within the beams of light. It was almost serene... until someone cleared their throat.

Severus was standing off in the corner, where a desk and chair lay, a packet of parchment tucked under his left arm.

"Snape is totally going to duel against Lupin. You can see it in his face—he simply hates him!"

Talia turned around, spotting a tall and plump 1st year Slytherin with curly brown hair. His name was Farley Lock; Talia recalled standing in front of him during the sorting ceremony. Astoria had told her much about the Lock family, at least a lot about the speculation that Lock Senior had troll blood in him, and that was why most didn't really consider the Lock family part of pureblood society.

"Really, Lock?" Talia shot back with a slight glare, "my father wouldn't do that, he has more class then to randomly start a duel. Now, your father on the other hand..."

Lock glared. "Oh, all because you're Snape's kid; you think you can do everything, huh? Well, I'll show you, you snotty little—"

By now, a small circle had formed around Talia and Lock; the Slytherin's were dispersed evenly behind the two, while all the Gryffindors slowly leaned towards Talia's side. Word had gotten around that she was friends with Harry Potter, and a friend of Harry was an immediate friend of theirs... even though some were slightly reluctant to befriend or even acknowledge a Slytherin's presence.

With a small smile and a twinkle in her eyes, Talia took a step back and raised her right hand, sans wand. Everyone watched with curiosity, and even Severus and Remus were now part of the crowd.

"I don't really wanna do this," Talia said with a small smile. "How about we call it a truce?"

Lock glared and took his wand out, pointing it at Talia.

_I warned you_, Talia thought, shaking her head and flicking her wrist. In an instant, all the buttons on Lock's shirt and pants came undone, leaving him with his chest and underwear exposed, his face red with a furious blush. Panicked, he quickly pulled his robes together, hiding his bare chest and legs, sinking into the group of laughing students to set his clothes right.

"That was awesome!"Astoria cheered, making Talia chuckle.

A hand was suddenly placed on Talia's shoulder, nearly making her jump five feet in the air in surprise. Remus was standing behind her, a small smile on his lips and a proud look in his eyes.

"As much as I find it fascinating that at your age you are able to manage a nonverbal spell and wandless magic, I strongly suggest that you do it when you're not in the presence of professors."

Talia's triumphant smile turned into a sheepish one as she caught sight of her uncle standing behind Remus.

"Learn to control your class, Lupin," Severus scowled, sending his niece a small nod before he walked towards the door, "oh, and Miss Snape?"

"Yes, sir?" Talia asked skeptically, chewing on her lip.

"As much as it pains me… 5 points from Slytherin for disorderly conduct…"

Every Slytherin in the class (Talia included) groaned as they watched their potions professor disappear from the room, his robes billowing behind him gracefully.

"Natalia," Remus said with a small chuckle.

With a sigh, she looked up at her professor who still had a hand on her shoulder, "Yes, sir?"

"10 points to Slytherin…"


	14. Wolf and Dog: Hogwarts Detectives

Class was quickly called into order, and Remus made everyone form a semicircle while he took to standing in the front, facing them. He had a very special lesson planned for everyone today: **Boggarts**. It wasn't something that he would normally teach 1st years, but in light of the situation with the dementors guarding the school, and Sirius Black escaping Azkaban, he wanted to give his students a treat.

In addition, he had offered to get rid of the nasty bugger that had plagued the staff room for weeks now, so might as well have some fun with it before he sent it away permanently.

"I'd like everyone to look up here, please," Remus said over the voices of his students, who were talking amongst themselves, wondering what in the world he had in store for them. "This year I'd like to start off with something different…"

Slowly he walked to the back of the room, where there was something large and bulky hidden underneath a gray cloth. It was several feet high—taller than him, actually, and had the shape of an upright rectangle. Remus took his wand out of his pocket and looked over his shoulder at his students, spotting Talia at the very front with a girl he knew to be named Astoria Greengrass. He wanted to laugh a little at the curious and fascinated look in Talia's eyes as she looked at what he was about to uncover. It reminded him of a look Isabella would make, and it unwillingly took him back to his 7th year at Hogwarts, when Isabella and Sirius thought themselves to be detectives...

* * *

><p><em>It was the middle of the afternoon, and as Remus lounged around the Gryffindor common room, he began to get suspicious. It was just too quiet, and that was never a good thing. He set aside the book he was reading, stood up with a little stretched, and looked around. There was a table in the far corner of the room where two 3rd years were busy catching up on their weekend homework, but other than that, there was no one else in the room. Peter he knew to be out with a girl in Hufflepuff, but then where was James, Sirius, Lily, and most importantly his own girlfriend, Isabella?<em>

This is odd_, he thought, looking around the room once more before heading up to the boy's dormitory to change out of his pajamas._

_Yawning, he walked out of the common room and closed the portrait behind him. The Fat Lady was giving him an unimpressed look, to which Remus quirked an eyebrow questioningly._

"_What?"_

_The Fat Lady smirked, saying, "Isabella Prince has been spending an awfully lot of time with Sirius Black. I heard them leave earlier, saying they were off to the Black Lake."_

_Remus clenched his fists tightly at his sides and nodded curtly. With a spin, he turned and began to descend one of the moving staircases that belonged to Gryffindor Tower._

So Izzy is with Sirius, then_, he thought with a small frown. He knew Isabella would never cheat on him; she was crazy in love with him and he was in love with her just as much, if not more, but Sirius… he could never be too sure about __**that **__one. It was Sirius Black after all -the heartbreaker and local heartthrob-, and at the beginning of last year (before Remus and Isabella had decided to make things official), Sirius had confided in James, who then told Remus, that he had had a thing for Isabella._

_With that thought in mind, it made Remus even more determined to get to the Black Lake in half the time that it would normally take him. Going to the lake was no short walk from the castle, after all, and Remus found himself nearly running._

_Once arriving at the Black Lake, lo and behold, Isabella was there with Sirius, and both were sitting on a large piece of driftwood that had washed up on the shore. The two were sitting very close together, their temples almost touching, and snickering almost secretively about something on Sirius' lap._

They've been spending an awfully lot of time together_, Remus thought, approaching them cautiously._

_Both Isabella and Sirius looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, seeing Remus with a weary smile on his face and his hands in his pockets._

"_Remus!" Isabella exclaimed with a radiant smile, placing a hand on Sirius' shoulder to push herself up off the driftwood log. "Sirius and I were just about to head back to the castle and get you!"_

Oh **really**_, Remus thought, mentally sneering in Sirius' direction. The full moon was just a few days away, and he was getting protective of what was his—Isabella._

"_You missed out on the fun, Mooney," Sirius chuckled, lifting up a hand and waving a video camera in the air. "I nicked this from Muggle Studies last month! Isabella got Snivellus to charm it to work."_

"_Don't call him that, you prat!" Isabella hissed, "His name is __**Severus**__."_

_Sirius grumbled quietly to himself, "Whatever. I don't see why you're always defending that greasy haired git. Cousin or no cousin, I don't understand…"_

_Ignoring Sirius, Isabella walked up to Remus, throwing her arms around his neck to hug him tightly. She looked up, into his eyes; they had various specks of amber in them, almost drowning out the blue—they would be heading into the forest soon, she knew._

_"How are you, love?" she said softly, the back of her hand caressing his cheek._

_Remus looked down at Isabella, his hands holding her hips and pressing her up against him. The wolf was acting out, he was sure; wanting to claim what was his and make sure that his territory stayed untouched by any other male._

_Remus let the wolf be, doing nothing to hold him back._

"_I'm fine. You should have woken me up if you were going out early this morning."_

_Isabella shook her head. "The full moon is approaching, and I thought you'd need your rest. Besides, you looked too adorable to wake up."_

"_Thank you," Remus said softly, a small smile on his face as he leaned down and kissed Isabella._

_The kiss lasted a little longer than what Sirius would have liked, which made him give out an impatient sigh as he rolled his eyes. "Oi! Stop snogging and come over here, we need to review the evidence!"_

_Remus broke the kiss with an irritated sigh, making Isabella giggle. "What is he talking about?"_

"_Well, I'm sure you've noticed me and Sirius sneaking off together these last couple of weeks, right? Well, we've been following James and Lily around, and this morning Sirius and I stumbled upon something that you're going to wanna see."_

_So this was why they were acting shady? This was why they were spending a little more time together then what Remus was comfortable with? They were following Lily and James around with a video camera—whatever for?_

_Isabella giggled and let her arms fall to her sides, before grabbing Remus' hand and lacing their fingers together, pulling him along until he took her previous spot on the driftwood. Casually, she then planted herself on his lap, kissing his nose, smiling all the while._

_Warmth spread throughout Remus' body. He was a fool to ever assume something was going on between Sirius and Isabella. It was obvious how much she loved him, and how much she loved Sirius as only a friend._

_Wrapping his arms around Isabella's waist, Remus leaned in and placed a quick kiss on his love's cheek, making her giggle._

"_Prepare to have your mind blown to smithereens… once I figure out how to make this thing work again," Sirius mumbled, scrunching up his face as he toyed with the video camera._

_Isabella rolled her eyes. "Turn the knob until it points to the little filmstrip—yeah, now press the red—no not that one! The other one, Sirius. Yes, now turn the other knob—"_

"_For the… volume, right?" Sirius asked with a cheeky grin, knowing how impatient Isabella was getting._

"_Yes," Isabella said, rolling her eyes. "You should pay more attention in Muggle Studies."_

_"__**You**__ should pay attention in Muggle Studies," replied Sirius nastily, sticking out his tongue._

_"Oh for the love of—just hurry up, will you!?"_

_Laughing, Sirius finally managed to make the video camera work as it was supposed to, and on the little screen embedded in the camera, Isabella could be seen, waving._

"Alright, so state your name and purpose and blah blah blah_," Sirius' voice drifted out of the camera, sounding bored._

_The Isabella on the screen laughed and said, "_My name is Isabella Eileen **Lupin**… well, it's Prince for now but you just wait and see! Anyways, this is '**Take #10**' in the '**James and Lily Case**'_!"_

_Remus looked away from the camera screen and at Isabella. Isabella was already looking at him with a rosy blush on her cheeks and a small smile on her face, looking somewhat embarrassed with herself; Remus found it endearing._

"_Lupin, huh?" he teased with a tiny smile._

"_Oh, you two hush up and keep watching, we're getting to the good part!" Sirius snapped good-naturedly, grinning as his silver eyes stayed glued to the camera screen and its moving images._

"_I know Sirius, I was there," Isabella replied with a roll of the eyes._

_Remus chuckled, tightening his hold around Isabella's waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. Curiously, he looked down at the screen, which only showed Isabella answering questions that Sirius was asking._

"Okay, so we haven't found them yet, but what would you do if… wait, is that James and Lily_?" Sirius' voice said in a surprised tone. The image on the screen suddenly moved away from Isabella and showed James in the background, dragging Lily by the hand and looking around, almost paranoid._

"We'll, this went faster than last time. Remember how we had to search the whole bloody castle to find them_?" Sirius's voice hissed, and Isabella could be heard giggling somewhere out of the frame._

_The image on the screen shifted and now showed the back of Isabella's head as Sirius followed with the camera behind her._ _The two followed James and Lily quietly, careful to not be seen by the fiery redhead and the Quidditch jock. Occasionally, the camera would swing around to show Sirius, smiling widely and holding a thumb up in approval._

_The figures in the screen stopped at the edge of a random corridor, and Isabella was then seen to be turning around, index finger placed over her lips to silently signal for silence. Her eyes were wide and sparkling, curiosity and fascination written on her face. She looked like a little girl that was anxious to unwrap a Christmas present, but was at the same time trying to figure something out._

"See what's going on_," Sirius's voice floated through the air, and Isabella nodded._

_She took a step forwards, peeked over the edge, gasped, and then twirled on her heels and looked at Sirius with a horrified yet excited look on her face._

"What_?" asked Sirius impatiently._

"I… I can't—I mean, just—"

_"_Move… I'm going in_."_

_The image on the screen suddenly got lower until it was obvious that the camera had been set on the ground. Sirius crawled on his belly and peeked over the edge of the corridor, camera still in hand, and what he got was priceless._

_There, at the end of the corridor, was Lily and James. Lily was pressed up against the wall and James' hands were firmly on her hips. They were both breathing heavily, smiles on their faces. James leaned in and kissed Lily passionately, one of his hands moving away from her hip and up onto her breast._

"YEAH PRONGS, GET SOME!_"_

"SIRIUS, YOU IDIOT YOU JUST BLEW OUR COVER_!"_

"OH FUCK! RETREAT, **RETREAT**; RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, BELLES! IT'S THE APOCALYPSE_!"_

"SIRIUS, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" – James.

"ISBELLA, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" – Lily.

_With that, Sirius quickly turned off the camera. Isabella had buried her face in the crook of Remus' neck by this point, her shoulders shaking as she tried and failed to stifle her laughter._

_"When did this happen?" Remus asked, a large smile on his face. It was about time that James and Lily got together. He was happy for them, truly, but he was more surprised that James had kept his mouth shut about this._

_"Sometime this morning," said Sirius with a grin. "Me and your bird have been hiding out here by the lake since then."_

_"I hope they don't find us," Isabella said, lifting her head off Remus' neck. She looked over at Sirius, expecting him to agree or say something funny, but he wasn't looking at her, and his face was devoid of his usual smile._

_"… Isabella," Sirius said seriously, quickly getting to his feet and looking back, off into the direction of the castle, "you know how we always tell you to shut up because you jinx everything?"_

_Isabella gasped, quickly rising from Remus' lap. She followed Sirius line of sight, and unsurprisingly spotted two figures quickly walking towards them, wands out and yelling angrily—James and Lily._

_"One," said Sirius, slipping his hand into his pocket to retrieve his wand, just in case._

_"Two," followed Isabella, doing the same._

_"THREE!" the two screamed before taking off, running along the Black Lake shore, away from an angry James and Lily._

_"You'll never catch us alive!" Sirius yelled back with a cheeky grin._

_"That's the point!" yelled back both James and Lily._

_Remus shook his head, a small smile on his face as he watched James and Lily chase down Sirius and Isabella—today was turning out to be a good day, a very good day indeed._

* * *

><p>With a tiny sigh, Remus looked away from Talia, shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts. He looked ahead of him, his wand now raised, and with a quick swish, the gray cloth fluttered to the floor to reveal a wardrobe. It had mirrored doors and looked elegant and very old, shaking occasionally, which made it obvious that there was something inside thrashing about wildly.<p>

Turning to face his class, wand still in hand, Remus asked, "Can anyone tell me what a boggart is?"

Talia was the only one to raise her hand—Remus wouldn't have expected any less.


	15. Full Moons and Black Dogs

The staff room was alive with music from Remus' gramophone, as well as the laughter of students. The boggart lesson was going well, Remus had to admit. Everyone was having fun, but when it was Talia's turn to face the boggart in the wardrobe, Remus grew nervous. Would it turn into a dementor?

He hoped not.

"Remember Natalia," Remus said with an encouraging smile, "the incantation is: _Riddikulus_. You must speak it clearly."

Talia nodded, stepped out of the line that the students had formed, and walked forwards. Astoria gave her an encouraging cheer, but not even that could calm Talia's nerves. She had a feeling that something terribly wrong was going to happen; something unexplainable and unexpected. Her 'feelings' were usually right. Call it instinct.

She hoped the boggart wouldn't turn into a dementor. That had been on her mind since finding out that today's lesson would involve a boggart. She had no idea what her biggest fear was, but she was definitely scared of dementors. Ever since the train ride… _No._ She quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts. She needed to focus.

"You ready, dear?"

Talia looked at Remus and nodded her head, and with a simple flick of his wrist, Remus magically opened the wardrobe.

_Moment of truth_, Talia thought, biting her top lip and standing with her feet shoulder-width apart, her arm raised and her wand pointed towards the wardrobe.

Seconds passed without anything happening. The wardrobe stood still, its doors opened and revealing a dark abyss of nothingness. The laughter that enveloped the room slowly died down until only the quite chit-chat of students was left… and then it happened.

A loud, rumbling bark resonated through the roof, making a few girls jump and squeak in surprise, Talia included. Her wand-hand was trembling now, for she recognized that rumbling bark.

Remus recognized it too.

"No…" Remus trailed off softly as Talia's boggart began to emerge.

A large, bear-like dog walked out of the wardrobe; black as night with bright, menacing silver eyes. It was growling dangerously, taking slow steps forwards, crouched in a stance ready to attack.

"Natalia," said Remus softly, looking back and forth between the familiar dog of his childhood, and the girl which reminded him of his beloved.

"I… I can't do this," Talia mumbled while talking steps back as the dog approached her. "It's going to… It's going to…"

The dog took a step back, then with all its might, jumped.

"**PADFOOT**!" screamed Talia and Remus.

Talia didn't hear Remus echo her scream.

Remus threw himself between his student and the dog now known as Padfoot. The boggart quickly changed in midair and turned into a beautiful picture-perfect moon with clouds framing it. Remus and Talia stood frozen for a second, transfixed on the fullness of the boggart-made moon. It was calling to them, pulling them towards it, but before Remus (or Talia) could do anything 'rash, he lifted his arm and pointed his wand at the moon.

"_Riddikulus_!"

The full moon turned into a white balloon, which then deflated and flew around the room. With a simple swish of his wrist, the boggart flew back into the wardrobe, the doors closing behind it and successfully locking it in.

Remus took in a deep, ragged breath, not turning to face his class, and more importantly Talia. Did that really just happen? Was Talia's boggart really Sirius Black in his animagus form? Moreover, had Talia yelled out Padfoot, Sirius' nickname? How could she possibly know that? How in the world could she know such intimate information about the alleged murderer that had escaped from Azkaban?

It appeared that Talia knew more than she should, and there was only one possible explanation for it: her mother was Isabella, because not even Severus knew such intimate information... he hoped.

"Class dismissed," Remus said after regaining his composure, slowly turning to face his class.

Only Talia noticed how pale he had turned, and how his body appeared to be shaking. She could literally smell the fear radiating off him, and it made her wonder what had just happened?

* * *

><p>The flames in Dumbledore's fireplace came to life in brilliant shades of green. From within the flames appeared the figure of a woman: short, petite, and wrapped in a black traveling cloak. She stepped out of the fireplace, brushing off the dust and soot that clung to her shoulders and curves. She even sneezed twice, which triggered an amused chuckle from Dumbledore, who sat at his desk, waiting for her arrival.<p>

"Isabella, so good to see you again. It's been years," greeted Dumbledore as he rose from his seat, walking towards Isabella to take her cloak.

Isabella smiled and nodded her head, smoothing down her royal blue dress before running a hand through her loosely curled, dark hair. "Evening, Albus, so sorry for not visiting sooner. Severus tells me you're doing well, though."

She surveyed the room, a grin creeping up to her lips as she remembered the few times she'd been in the headmaster's office way back when she was a student. Nothing had changed, not really. Dumbledore's office was still large and filled with intricate knickknacks. His phoenix Fawkes' perch was still in the center of the lower level of his office, and a box of muggle sweets was resting on his desk. Books were scattered on nearly every surface, and the air smelled faintly of Lemon Drops. Everything looked so much like it did when Isabella was a kid that it amazed her. It was like time had stopped. She expected McGonagall to burst in, dragging behind her James, Peter, Sirius, and a red-faced Remus.

"Memories are strange things, aren't they?" Dumbledore smiled with a knowing look, handing Isabella her cloak back.

Isabella smiled weakly, her mind still lingering on Remus. Where was he right now, right in that moment? Was he in his personal quarters, preparing for the full moon? Was he at the Shrieking Shack? He was probably alone, cold, scared…

_No, don't think about that. Just don't_, Isabella thought weakly,_ I will see him, but not now; I'm not ready._

"I have arranged for your fireplace to be connected directly to the one in Severus' sitting room," said Dumbledore. "Next month you will be able to Floo directly there rather than have to go through here first, if you so desire."

Isabella nodded, taking in a deep breath through her nose. "I'll be off then. It was nice to see you again, Albus. I wish it were under different circumstances."

"I'm sure we'll see each other once more, Isabella."

There was something odd about Dumbledore's smile, Isabella noticed. It was like he knew something… but then again when did he not? Dumbledore knew everything! It was like he could predict the future; like if he was a seer. Isabella didn't really like the thought of that. Dumbledore's riddles were enough to deal with.

With a graceful turn, Isabella descended down a spiral staircase and walked into a deserted corridor. It nearly made her skin crawl; the familiarity of her surroundings made everything surreal. She half expected running into Filch and being given a detention for being out of the common room past curfew.

It was almost sad as she walked the same route she'd walked many times before in her youth down to the dungeons. If she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could almost imagine being back in her 7th year at Hogwarts, with a shiny Prefect badge pinned to her chest. She would be holding onto the hand of Remus and they would be talking about trivial things, like what they had done during their lessons, and making plans for the weekend. He always walked her back to the Slytherin common room, leaving her at the stone wall that when tapped, opened up, with a kiss on the lips and a promise to see her again bright and early the next morning.

Isabella remembered living for those few seconds of it being just them, acting as intimate as possible with words and glances; being free to profess their love for one another without the annoying whines from James, the teasing jokes of Sirius, or the watery narrowed eyes of Peter watching them clinically.

"I was so stupid for leaving him," whispered Isabella in a shaky voice, tears spilling from her golden eyes and running down her cheeks. She really did think she was stupid. Maybe he would have been happy about being a father, maybe he would have acted differently—she'd never know, because she'd decided to be a coward and leave.

Appearing suddenly at Isabella's side was the Bloody Baron, Slytherin House's ghost. Isabella quickly raised her hands to her face and removed the tears that clung to her eyelashes with the sleeve of her long-sleeved dress. She didn't need anyone seeing her tears, let alone anyone from her past.

"Good night, Baron," said Isabella meekly after taking a deep breath.

The Bloody Baron turned to look at her, a small smile on his face as he took in her long black hair, her golden eyes, and the royal blue dress that she had on. Isabella reminded him of Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of one of Hogwarts' founders, and his one true love. The years had changed Isabella for the better, he had to admit. No longer was she the sweet looking Slytherin with the girlish features. She looked more refined—sophisticated, and in the shadows of the dungeons, with the dim lights dancing across her face, it made her look all the more alluring.

"You look lovely tonight, Isabella," he couldn't help but say.

Isabella chuckled, wrapping her arms around herself. "You remember me."

"I never forget a pretty face," he said in a raspy whisper. "Now tell me, why were you crying?"

Isabella sucked in a deep breath. She and the Bloody Baron went way back, back to the days when she was just a 1st year. She was the only one who had managed to genuinely befriend him, and it appeared to have remained that way.

"Just reliving the past," she said honestly, chuckling afterwards. "Have you met my daughter? She insists on everyone calling her Talia."

The Bloody Baron nodded, a weak smile leaving his lips. "Charming young girl… reminds me of you. She's smart, cunning, though she seems more _bookish_ than you. I've heard her repeatedly ask for directions to the library because she keeps forgetting her way… her father's influence, perhaps?"

Isabella said nothing. She had a feeling the Bloody Baron knew; knew that Talia was not Severus'—knew that Talia was the daughter of Remus. The only other person to know the truth was Dumbledore.

"Nothing gets by you, does it?" Isabella asked softly, ambiguously, turning a corner and being weary of the traps that were set in the dungeons to keep unwanted visitors away. Certain slabs of stone on the floor would sink, or liquefy and trap your feet, and she did not need that happening to her tonight.

"It was a surprise, that's all," he said casually. "She has his eyes, you know? That was a dead giveaway… I'm also assuming it's the reason for your return?"

"There's a full moon tonight," Isabella shrugged. "She doesn't transform, though I just wanted to see how she's doing. This is the first time she's not home during the full moon. I'm just worried for her, you know?"

The Bloody Baron nodded. "You know… word has it that her first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson didn't go exactly as one would want."

Isabella arched an eyebrow and turned to look at him, taking in his powered wig, his bloodstained clothes, and his see-through appearance, and asked, "Severus informed me that… Remus, is teaching them about boggarts… what exactly happened? It appears that you know something."

"Indeed I do," said the Baron, his voice a mere whisper. "Your friend, the deranged one who could transform into a dog—"

"Sirius?" Isabella asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. Bitterly she said, "He's no friend of mine, not after what he did."

"Well, it appears that your daughter is scared of his canine counterpart."

"_Natalia_," Isabella hissed with a shake of her head, stopping in front of the portrait that led into Severus' private quarters. "When she was younger, about 5 years-old, she got into my Pensieve and saw a nasty memory… had nightmares for weeks. I thought she got over that. It appears that the boggart brought it to the surface."

"What exactly was in this memory, if I may ask, Isabella?"

Isabella sighed, not wanting to remember...


	16. A Dog and Two Princes

**The Marauders: 5th year | Spring of '76**

Summer was slowly taking over spring, and the weather outside of the castle was simply ghastly. It was too hot to do anything other than lay around and relax, and Isabella had never loved the dungeons more than during the warmer months. The dungeons remained cool, and you couldn't even tell that the blazing sun was pounding heavily on the Hogwarts grounds.

The Slytherin common room was empty, probably because everyone was outside celebrating the last day of his or her O.W.L exams, but not Isabella. She was lounging lazily in front of the unlit fireplace, rereading a letter that Narcissa Malfoy had sent her, inviting her and Severus over to her home for the summer holidays.

Narcissa was five years older than Isabella was, and therefore when she graduated they wrote letters to each other; always keeping in touch and sometimes even visiting each other during the holidays. It was a strange friendship, since one of Narcissa's sisters -Bellatrix- couldn't stand Isabella, but they got along, and it was nice to have friends outside of Hogwarts, friends who had experience with life and could offer advice about boys and silly things like that. Narcissa was married after all, and currently she and her husband Lucius were in the process of trying to have children.

The sounds of hurried footsteps outside of the common room disturbed Isabella's train of thoughts, making her fold Narcissa's letter in half and place it into the pocket of her skirt. She would write to her later after consulting with Severus if he was up to spending a week at Malfoy Manor.

"Isabella… **ISABELLA**!" Speak of the Devil; it was Severus who burst into the common room.

"Hey Sev, Cissy wrote to me. She and Lucius want to know if we—Sev? Sev what's going on?" Isabella rushed over to her cousin; she was scared and worried. Severus' face was bright red, smudged with dirt, and his nose was bleeding. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, and he was breathing heavily, choking with sobs. Something terrible had happened to him, and it made Isabella's heart race.

"P-Potter and B-B-Black," Severus sobbed, clutching the front of Isabella's white blouse, soaking it with his tears.

"Oh no," Isabella gasped, her eyes slightly narrowed, "what did they do to you?"

This was by far the worst they had left Severus. James and Sirius were friends of Remus, and for that reason alone, Isabella forced herself to tolerate them... not to mention that they were always around, almost as if they were her shadow whenever she and Lily were out and about. If it weren't for their friendship with Remus, she would have hexed them across the earth by now.

Isabella led Severus to the sofa, taking off his black robes and trying to make him as comfortable as possible. With a wave of her hand, she conjured up a glass of water, gave it to him, and urged him to drink it to calm himself.

She was pacing now, biting her lip. "What happened, Severus?"

Severus took a deep breath, then mumbled, "I was reading the book that you let me borrow; the one about animagi and metamorphmagi. I was halfway done when Potter and Black showed up. Black kept goading Potter on until I was sus... suspended in mid-air. They… they used my own spells against me… they humiliated me by… pulling my pants down. Everyone was laughing, they saw, they saw my—"

"Shh," Isabella hushed her cousin, sitting beside him and taking him into her arms. "I get the picture, but something else happened, didn't it?"

"Lily was there," Severus whispered, his voice thick with tears. "She made them put me down—"

"You landed on your face." Isabella sighed, now knowing where his bloody nose came from.

Severus nodded and proceeded to finish his story. "I was embarrassed… humiliated. She tried to help me stand but I pushed her away. I was blinded by rage, so I-I… I called her a mudblood."

"Severus, no," Isabella sighed, hugging him tightly, letting him burry his face in the crook of her neck.

"She wants nothing to do with me now. I tried apologizing but she wouldn't listen," Severus sobbed, "and it's all Potter and Black's fault. They made me lose my best friend. If they, if they hadn't of picked on me—" Severus broke down, sobbing loudly and thankful that the common room was empty save for Isabella and he.

"Shh," Isabella hushed him, letting go of him and standing up, her vision tinted red, "Go upstairs, take a hot bath, and get some rest—leave them to me. I'll make sure they never touch you again."

Isabella kissed Severus' forehead, his cheek, and then the bridge of his nose.

"Thank you, Isabella… for being there for me."

"I'll always be there," Isabella said with a small smile, "always, even when you least expect it, and even if you don't want it."

In a flurry of long black hair and gray fabric, Isabella walked out of the common room, through the dungeon, and up a flight of stairs. She had no idea where the Marauders could be, but her gut told her to go to the Black Lake, and sure enough, there was Sirius, Peter, and Remus, talking amongst themselves and skipping rocks.

Isabella was furious. How dare they ruin Severus' friendship with Lily! That was all that he had, what he valued most, what he looked forward to during the holidays… and now it was ruined. Ruined because Sirius egged James on, making him jealous that Severus spent time with Lily and not him.

"WHERE IS POTTER!" Isabella bellowed, nearly tripping on a random rock as she rushed towards them.

Peter rolled his eyes, mumbling, "Great, Snivellus told on us… again."

That was it; that was all Isabella could take. She glared hard at Peter, making him cower. Her eyes turned a bright gold, almost cat-like yellow, and with a simple flick of her right wrist, she sent Peter flying into the Black Lake.

"I'm only going to ask this once more: where is Potter?" she hissed, ignoring Peter's alarmed cries and mumbled curses as he spit up water and trudged back to dry land.

Remus took in a deep breath, rose his hands up to show Isabella that he didn't mean any harm, and said softly, "He's most likely with Lily. She was looking for you but she couldn't find you so she left, and James went after her."

Isabella took in a deep breath and nodded, turning to Sirius whose smug smile quickly diminished.

"Now Belles," he said with a slight waver, taking a step back, "don't do anything stupid."

"STUPID!" screamed Isabella, taking a step towards him. "HOW DARE YOU HARRASS MY COUSIN! THIS IS YOUR ENTIRE FAULT!"

"HE CALLED LILY A YOU-KNOW-WHAT!" Sirius screamed back.

"ONLY BECAUSE YOU HUMILIATED HIM! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW BROKEN HE IS!"

"It's Snivellus... WHO CARES!"

In a matter of seconds, Isabella shifted into a large, Arctic Wolf, not caring for anyone who might see her. Baring her fangs, she leapt towards Sirius without a moment of hesitation.

"PADFOOT CHANGE NOW OR SHE'LL KILL YOU!" yelled Remus, alarmed and scared, digging his hand into his pocket to take out his wand.

Never had he seen Isabella so angry, so furious. She would always threaten to hex James and Sirius, Peter too whenever they'd bother Severus, but this was taking it up a notch. This time she had one thing in mind, and that was to make Sirius suffer as much as her cousin had.

Sirius and Isabella growled at each other, pushing and shoving; trying to bite one another. Sirius, being stronger than Isabella, despite the Arctic Wolf being larger than the domestic black dog, sunk his canines into Isabella's neck, finally drawing blood as he shook and tugged, tearing flesh and giving himself the upper hand. Isabella's pure white winter fur was now stained crimson, and she whimpered before falling over, Sirius pinning her down by pressing his large paws onto her chest, his canines still clamped onto the skin on the side of her neck.

"Padfoot get off of her!" Remus yelled in vain, his heart in his throat as he watched Isabella shift back to her human form, bleeding profusely at the neck. "**PADFOOT**..."


	17. Questions

The night of the full moon had finally come, and Talia sat in a large, overly stuffed high-backed armchair that overlooked her uncle's sitting room. There was a basket by her feet with various balls of yarn in shades of green, rose, silver, and black. Her task for the night was to work on a scarf that her mother had started for her, but her heart wasn't all that into knitting at the moment. She wanted to sleep, to get lost in a world of dreams, but it was as if her brain had been put on autopilot. She couldn't sleep; she couldn't even take a cat-nap. She would need the help of a potion if she wanted to rest, but being her contradictory self, she didn't want to take a potion, at least not tonight.

"Are you sure you don't want something to put you to sleep?" asked Isabella as she stepped out of Severus' bedroom, a small blue phial in her hand. "I've got something that will knock you out, if you'd like."

"I'm okay," Talia mumbled, glaring down at the half-knitted scarf that rested on her lap.

Isabella sighed.

She took a seat on the sofa that faced the fireplace, setting the phial down on the coffee table. Her daughter's blue eyes had gained various specks of amber, giving them an almost feral golden glow. Remus eyes were golden when he turned into a werewolf... Maybe, just maybe, if Isabella had stayed with Remus, and if things had gone like she would have liked them, they could take on the full moon together—like a family.

Only in a perfect world, it seemed, and even then, in a perfect world Remus wouldn't be a werewolf. He wouldn't have to suffer, he'd be seen as an equal, and not some lowly beast.

_Oh, what cruel lives we lead…_

"Something appears to be on your mind," Severus spoke up as he walked out of his bedroom, his eyes trained on Talia.

Talia shrugged and turned to look at the fireplace. Something was definitely on her mind, and it was obvious that she didn't want to talk about it.

She had spoken to McGonagall after her Transfiguration lesson. She had asked a question that had been on her mind for a while now, and the answer that McGonagall had given her had only caused more questions to pop into her head.

"_Do the animalistic traits of a person's animagus pass on to their children?" _– That had been Talia's question.

McGonagall had told her that it was impossible, which meant that her mother had lied to her.

"Talia, what's on your mind?" Isabella asked gently. She could tell that something was bothering her daughter, and she wanted to know what it was. She doubted Talia would give in and spill what was on her mind, though. Her daughter was just like Remus: guarded, reserved, cautious, secretive… Talia didn't like her business being other people's business, and if she told you anything, then that meant that she trusted you, and that you should consider yourself lucky.

Talia shook her head. She was not going to talk about this, not until she did some extensive research. She acted like an animal, a wolf more than anything else, and it made her wonder if Draco had been on to something all those times when he'd tease her about being a werewolf.

_Mum is not a werewolf, though. Maybe my dad… maybe that's why he left us, because he's a werewolf_, Talia shuddered at the thought.

However, if this was true—if Talia's father truly was a werewolf… why hadn't her mother told her? Why had Isabella lied and used her animagus as an excuse?

From the rare times that her mother had mentioned her father, Talia gathered that he was a hardworking man who worshiped her mother. Isabella had once let it slip that the man would do anything for her. If this was true then why had he just walked out on them? Why had he left? Could his lycanthropy be the cause of him chickening out and leaving?

_It's plausible_, thought Talia, _if he loved her as much as she claimed that he did than it would only be logical that he left. He wouldn't want to put his child in danger, right? It was an excuse…_

Talia's thoughts were giving her a headache.

"I think I'd like that potion right now," she said in a low growl, "I don't want to keep awake anymore…"

* * *

><p>With the full moon behind her, Talia could settle into a somewhat normal routine until that time of the month would role by again. She was surviving day by day, but that particular full moon night was always on the back of her mind.<p>

With Hermione, she had gone to the library various times with the ruse that she wanted to check out muggle fantasy books. The Magical Creatures section was always within reach, though Hermione's presence always hindered Talia's plans. Talia could never manage to get away; at least not long enough to get the book she actually needed.

In the end, Talia would checked out a few random books on princesses that she had no intention on reading. This made her realize that to execute her plan on checking out books about werewolves, she'd have to memorize the path that led to the library, instead of leaning on Hermione's shoulder to show her the way.

If only she had a map of the school, that would help her out tremendously.

It was currently one of those slow days where homework was close to nonexistent, leaving Talia with nothing to do. Astoria was off with her sister, Draco was out on the Quidditch pitch testing a new broom, and Hermione, Ron, and Harry were off doing what Gryffindors do best… whatever that was.

Talia was aimlessly wandering the halls of Hogwarts, not knowing where she was headed and not caring. Maybe if she were lucky she'd stumble upon the library by accident. She could only hope, but she'd read somewhere in _Hogwarts: A History_ that some corridors had a tendency to chance places, so she didn't get her hopes ups.

"What's with the long face?" asked Peeves as he materialized above Talia.

Talia quirked an eyebrow and looked up, taking in Peeve's elfish form before averting her eyes back in front of her. "There's no long face here. I'm just out for a walk, so please if you'd be kind enough to leave me alone, that would be very much appreciated."

"Don't be rude," spat Peeves, swooping low to grab a fistful of Talia's hair.

Talia had worn her long hair in low pigtails, and now she regretted it.

"Let go!" she yelled, raising both her arms and trying to swat the poltergeist away, but it was useless.

Peeves cackled loudly, mockingly, amused with the game he had now started. Talia groaned and winced every so often as he tugged at her hair as if they were reigns, and she the horse. She wanted to hex him into next year; she wanted to kill him… but he was already dead, and it angered her more!

"Let go of my hair!" screamed Talia, a loud growl leaving her lips. Her eyes flashed gold for a moment before settling back to their normal sapphire hue, but she didn't notice, and neither did Peeves.

"Say please and I'll let go," the poltergeist taunted in a sing-song voice, chuckling lowly and tugging Talia's hair hard enough to make her head jerk back.

What had her mother told her about Peeves? He was scared of another ghost in the castle; Talia had even seen and talked to this ghost a couple of times while walking to the common room… what was his name... OH! Yes, she remembered now.

"Let go or I'll call the Bloody Baro—"Peeves immediately let go of her hair and disappeared.

Talia glared, rubbing her head. Mumbling bitterly, she said, "Stupid git…"

"I hope you aren't talking about me."

Talia whirled around and saw Remus standing a few steps away, walking out from behind a portrait with a small stack of books cradled in his arms. His skin looked pale and there was a new scar on his neck, but other than that, he looked like he always did: haggard and sickly. He was a strange professor, Talia had to admit, but she liked being around him. His aura was calming.

"Peeves was giving me a bit of trouble," said Talia with a rueful smile, rubbing her head. "Pulled my hair and then vanished once I mentioned the Bloody Baron."

Remus smiled, "The Bloody Baron tends to do that to people."

"He's alright," Talia chuckled. "My mum told me loads about him before coming here—said they were friends too when she came to school."

Remus quirked an eyebrow and a thought he had been trying to ignore came back to him: Isabella.

"Your mother," he said softly, trying to sound as casual as he could make himself, "what is she like?"

Talia looked at him strangely, but shrugged. Professor Sprout, her Herbology professor, had asked about her mother too; said she was a fine student, and it was obvious that other professors remembered her as from when she came to Hogwarts. Professor Lupin was just another curious professor, and it wouldn't hurt to tell him a few things about her mother.

"Um, I don't really know what to say. Sometimes I think she's crazy," Talia chuckled. "Sometimes she can be really quiet, off in her own world where she'll just stare off into space for the longest time. She loves to knit, and read, and she really likes cheese. There were days during the summer when she'd drag me out of the house and we'd go to the beach to look for seashells and stuff. My aunt Sera lives on the beach, and she'd come along for those trips. Mum would always demand that aunt Sera braid our hair, and aunt Sera would put seashells and seaweed in the braids..., which would make mum made, but secretly I knew that she loved it, because she really likes the sea. She'd just complain because I'd be there, and of course mum had to be the "sensible" adult. I think she was a mermaid in another life—not _our_ mermaids, of course, but those pretty ones that muggles always talk about."

Remus gulped. Those were among the many things he remembered about Isabella. She had an obsession with sea creatures, and loved to knit, and read, and would eat nearly anything if you smothered cheese on it. She also had a cousin named Seraphina that went by the nickname "Sera". He'd met the girl once, during graduation. Sera was a fiery redhead with braided seashells in her hair, that was two years younger than them, from France. She and Isabella had been very close… and it appeared that they'd remained as such all this time.

Trying to sound as casual as he could, he asked, "I was on my way to the library to return a few books—"

"May I come along?" Talia nearly shouted. This was the perfect opportunity… for both of them.

Remus chuckled and nodded, turning in the opposite direction and walking at a leisurely pace with Talia at his side. He wasn't sure what he was expecting Talia to tell him, but he anticipated (and at the same time dreaded) learning things about her mother. If the possibility that Isabella was actually her mother was true then that would mean that she had moved on, left him for her own cousin, and he didn't know how well he was going to bare with that idea in mind.

He prayed that Isabella was her aunt, or even a distant cousin, though the chances weren't likely…

Deep down he knew Isabella was Talia's mother.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Seraphina will make a proper appearance later on in the story.


	18. Knowing: Part 1

His eyes were bloodshot, the tip of his nose was tinted red, and his cheeks were marred with tearstains that ran down to the underside of his chin. His hair was a mess, his clothes were askew, and his fist was bleeding from when he had punched his vanity mirror, which was now littering the floor near his wardrobe in pieces.

How could it be that after all these years, after all this time, Isabella was closer than Remus' had ever hoped for? He couldn't even begin to fathom all the thoughts were currently running through his mind, but one stuck out like a glowing beacon: Talia was Isabella's daughter, and Severus was her father…

However, it didn't make any sense! Severus couldn't be the father. As far as Remus knew, Isabella and Severus had shown nothing but a brother and sister love towards one other. Talia also looked nothing like the brooding Potions Master; she didn't have his eyes, she didn't smell like him, she didn't act anything like him—the only thing she had that was his was dark hair and his last name!

How can Talia be Severus' daughter when she was nothing like him?

Remus needed to gather his thoughts.

Talia might possibly be **_his_** daughter, but it couldn't be, or rather, Remus wished it wasn't. Talia just couldn't be his, for that meant that she was the daughter of a werewolf.

"No…" he moaned, his voice breaking."She can't be mine, she just can't!"

Remus sucked in a deep breath and walked towards his bed, taking a seat on the edge. He rested his elbows on his knees, leaning down to cradle his face in his hands. Talia just couldn't be his… If she were his then why had Isabella just disappeared without a trace? Why hadn't she told him that they were to be parents? Why had she taken that away from him?

Suddenly, it dawned on Remus…

On that dreadful Halloween evening eleven years ago, Isabella had been acting strangely during sex. She wouldn't let his hands wander any lower than her chest, and when he'd tried to leave a trail of kisses down her body, she'd shied away from his touch on her stomach.

Then her scent, it hadn't been the same, there was something extra there, but Remus had thought nothing of it, but now…

"Oh Gods," Remus cried, breaking into another set of tears.

He hadn't cried this hard since that second week of November in 1981, when he realized that Isabella wouldn't be coming back.

It was all suddenly clear now. The strange familiarity he felt when looking into Talia's eyes was because she had _his_ eyes, his **exact** sapphire orbs. Her smell reminded him of Isabella because it **was** Isabella, at least a part of her, and a part of him was there too, which made Talia smell of lavender and chocolates—just like Isabella had once said their children would smell like, all those years ago.

There was also the fact that his wolf had instantly connected with her, because it recognized its own flesh and blood, its kin—its pup.

The night when he had found Talia out of the girl's dormitory looking up at the moon came back to Remus, and he gasped. Had Talia contracted lycanthropy? Did she change under the light of the full moon, just like he?

With that thought in mind, Remus dissolved into another set of sobs, clutching his chest.

He had ruined her...

* * *

><p>It was a beautiful night out, with a black sky filled with tiny jewel-like stars. They glittered and shimmered over Hogwarts, lighting up the moonless sky and casting a silvery glow over the grounds. There was a breeze, chilly and soft, but not strong enough to freeze, and the smell of pine and rain wafted through the air, making Talia smile. She loved the smell of rain, and even if there were no clouds in the sky, she was able to tell that a storm was on its way.<p>

She had been reading by the Black Lake, a book about werewolves that she had nicked from right under the [librarian] Madam Pince's nose. She didn't want to risk having the librarian question her about her current topic of interest. This was something she needed to keep a secret until she figured out all the specifics about, well—herself, and so far, she didn't like what she was discovering between the pages of the small, brown, leather-bound book she held in her hands.

All the signs were there: the sensitive hearing, the sharp vision, the amber eyes, the mood swings, the preference of raw meats, and the tug of the full moon. All that was missing was the transformation, which was something she didn't go through. The book Talia had taken only showed information on people who were bitten, not people who were born into lycanthropy.

What her uncle gave her every month was probably Wolfsbane too, not vitamins, as she'd been made to believe.

It was scary to think that her mother had fallen in love with a werewolf: did her mother even know that her lover was a werewolf to begin with?

Her head was fuzzy with thoughts about all that she had read, and therefore, she didn't notice the pair of silver eyes that looked at her from afar with an excited gaze.

"What the hell, seriously," Talia mumbled, looking down at the book which rested on her lap. "Everything seems like a bloody contradiction. Whatever, I should probably head back inside, no doubt Draco has probably noticed I'm—**WHAT**!?"

A large, furry animal tackled her from behind, sending her tumbling off the piece of driftwood she'd been using as a bench. Her book went flying and landed somewhere beside her. At first, she gasped, not knowing what hit her, and then fear bubbled up inside her as she was flipped over to lie on her back. A large, bear-like dog looked down at her through glowing silver eyes, its fur so dark that it was probably black. It was sitting on her stomach, pinning her down with two large paws at her shoulders.

Talia knew this dog.

"Padfoot," she gasped on instinct, not even thinking about the name that she had just uttered.

The dog barked, leaned down, and nuzzled its nose in the crook of her neck, its tail wagging so hard that its bottom-half moved from side to side with it. It was the dog from Talia's dreams from when she was little, the dog she had seen in her mother's Pensieve. However, there was something different here: the dog seemed to be happy to see her, and wasn't tearing her neck apart.

The black dog began to lick Talia's face, and then jumped off her. Talia took this opportunity to grab her book and stand up, running as fast as she could, away from the dog. She didn't get far, though; the dog tackled her to the ground once again, making her drop her book once more, and the weight on her back… it changed drastically. It was as if a person was now sitting on her back rather than an animal, holding her down. This made her scream bloody murder.

"Belles, calm down!" yelled a rough, male voice. It was new, unfamiliar, and scared Talia to death. "**Isabella Eileen Prince**, Merlin's beard, woman—shut the fuck up!"

Talia had tears streaming down her cheeks, and she was frantically breathing, trying to crawl away from the man that was sitting on her back, straddling her. Abruptly, the man shifted his weight and rolled off her back, but then grabbed her shoulders and turned her over.

"Belles will you—what? You are **not **my Belles. What the…" the silver-eyed stranger stared down at her, dumbfounded.

Talia didn't know what to think. The man that hovered over her had curly black hair that went down to his elbows, was gaunt and had sallow skin, but those eyes… they were the same ones from the Pensieve, and the same eyes that belonged to the bear-like dog.

He was an animagus. It was the only possible way.

_Oh Gods what the fuck do I do_, Talia thought in a panic as she recognized the man from the many "_Wanted_" posters that circulated the school, _it's Sirius -bloody- Black!_

Sirius quickly stood and took a few steps back; ready to run off if need be, but the girl that sat before him… could it be possible that Isabella and Remus had a child? The girl looked just like Belles, and there was no questioning that she had Mooney's blue eyes. The girl looked young, too. From what he could remember when he had… been sent away, Isabella wasn't pregnant, but this girl that sat before him looked around the age of 11—the perfect age to be the daughter of his best mates if they had started a family all those years ago.

It all added up.

"How do…" Talia trailed off, staring up at the murderer with fear and curiosity in her eyes, "My mum's name… how do you know it?"

Sirius didn't know how to answer her. If she **was** the daughter of his best mates, then she would have gotten her ear talked off about him, about how he had betrayed the Potters; about how he had been a spy for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He hoped that wasn't the case. He was innocent, after all. It was Peter who had betrayed them, not he!

"How do you know her?"Talia demanded with a slight waver, and Sirius could have sworn that the girl had been sorted into Gryffindor for the Gryffindor courage that she was showing, but the snake on her robes told him otherwise.

Slytherin, just like her mother; he wondered how Remus handled that.

Sirius was about to answer her by telling her that he was an old friend of her mother's, but then something caught his eye up in the sky. It was a lone dementor floating along the Black Lake, and it was headed towards them.

"We need to leave," said Sirius, leaning down and taking Talia's hand.

"What? No, let me go!" Talia struggled, "let go or I'll scream!"

"That dementor is not gonna care if you scream," Sirius hissed, pointing up at the sky. "Now c'mon, grab your book and let's go."

Talia paled and looked down to where her book lay, opened to a page that showed a werewolf mid-transformation.

"How can I trust you?"

"I'll explain everything once we're safe, now c'mon. We don't have much time!"

Against her better judgment, Talia nodded, grabbed her book, and followed Sirius. She never let go of his hand, and she never doubted him as they entered the Forbidden Forest. Something inside of her told her to trust him. If he knew her mother, then he must know her father, and despite the fact that he was a murderer and that he had been part of the reason why Harry's parents were dead, Talia never doubted his intentions to keep her safe from the dementor.

Sirius Black could be trusted.

_But I shouldn't be this trusting…_


	19. Knowing: Part 2

Talia held Sirius' hand tightly as he led her deep into the Forbidden Forest. They walked at a fast pace for what seemed like ages, and the deeper they went, the more dark and foreboding the forest got. Weaving in and around patches of trees, climbing over small boulders and hills and fallen trees, Talia was beginning to grow tired. She wanted to pull away from Sirius, scream, and run back to the castle. For all she knew Sirius Black was going to kill her, but even if she wanted to escape his grip, she realized that it would be pointless. They were deep in the forest to the point where everything was trees no matter which way she turned… and she trusted him. She didn't know why, but something in her gut told her to trust him.

"Are we there yet?" Talia huffed after climbing over a fallen tree.

Sirius quirked an eyebrow and turned around, noticing Talia's disheveled hair, puffy eyes, and heavy breathing. He was used to trekking the forest, and he never took into consideration that maybe Talia wasn't as skilled of a hiker as he was. She was 11, after all.

"And where exactly do you suppose '_there_' is?" he asked with a small smirk.

Talia shrugged, and Sirius let go of her hand.

"You might try and kill me," Talia shrugged as if it were nothing, "so I don't know."

"Why would I want to kill you?"

Now it was Talia's turn to quirk an eyebrow. "You're Sirius Black, after all. My mum told me about you."

Sirius walked over to the fallen tree they had passed and took a seat, patting the space beside him. It was safe now, he figured. They had lost the dementor a while back but it never hurt to be careful.

_He expects me to sit beside him, hah,_ Talia thought as she walked over to the opposite end of the fallen tree, taking a seat as far away from him as possible. Sirius merely rolled his eyes.

"And what exactly did Isabella tell you about me?"

"There you go again," Talia mumbled. "How do you know my mum?"

"I'll answer you if you answer me first," Sirius said cheekily.

Talia contemplated this for a while. She knew a bit about Sirius from her mother and her godmother… Narcissa was his cousin after all, and all things she had heard about him weren't all that good. Her mother told her that Sirius was in league with Voldemort, and Narcissa told her that her cousin was a disgrace to the Black family name, making all the wrong choices, which caused his mother to hit the grave at an early age. Then there were also the tales that people told around the castle and in Diagon Alley, about how he was crazy, killing his best friend, betraying Harry's parents, killing muggles…

"Do you really want to know what my mum told me about you?" Talia hesitated, "because it's all not really good things, mind you."

Sirius chuckled scornfully, then mumbled, "I expected that."

"Well, my question now?"

Sirius nodded, turning to look at Talia. She really did look like her mother, so much in fact, that he had tackled her thinking that it was Isabella. He hadn't even noticed her eyes until he changed back into a human. She had even called him by his nickname—

"How do you know _Padfoot_?" he asked, his silver eyes narrowing slightly. "Did your mother tell you—"

"No," said Talia quickly."I fell into her Pensieve when I was little, and I saw a memory of this huge black dog attacking a white one. Everything was fuzzy, and in the background, someone kept screaming _Padfoot_. I had nightmares for weeks after that, and I thought they were over cause I couldn't really remember it— your animagus, I mean… until a few weeks ago, when I had to face a boggart."

Sirius stared at Talia for a moment, digesting the small tale she had just told him. So, she had seen him attack her mother while they were both animagi, and she had been scared so much so that...

"**_I'm_** your boggart?" Sirius asked softly, looking away from Talia and down to his lap. He felt ashamed, for he had a pretty good idea of what memory she had seen. He'd nearly lost Isabella's friendship because of that; it had taken her weeks to talk to him again after that incident.

"Yeah," Talia said softly.

Sirius nodded. "Well, that explains why you freaked out when I tackled you."

"Yup," Talia mumbled, feeling uncomfortable.

"Hmm," Sirius thought. "Who on earth would let a 1st year take on a boggart? You _are_ a 1st year, yes?"

"Yes," Talia nodded, "and it was Professor Lupin—"

"**MOONEY**?" Sirius nearly exclaimed, flinging his arms in the air in surprise. "What in the world is—why are you giving me that look?"

Talia couldn't help it. Hearing Sirius nearly yell out "Mooney" was funny to her. She didn't know why he would call Professor Lupin by that silly nickname, but it was hilarious. She couldn't help the giggle that escape her lips. The serious, professional Professor Lupin being nicknamed 'Mooney'… it was funny!

"You really are like your mother," Sirius said after a moment, a small smile on his lips. "She giggled just like you when we told her about Remus' nickname."

Talia suddenly sobered. "What?" she exclaimed, almost dropping her book, which she had forgotten she'd been holding.

"What?" Did he say something wrong? Sirius honestly didn't know. "I'm confused."

"You called Professor Lupin by his name," Talia told Sirius, her eyes large and wide. "That means that you knew him, and we've already established that you know my mum, but this also means that my mum knows Professor Lupin and this also means that my mum knew—"

"Whoa," Sirius chuckled, standing up and walking towards her to sit beside her, much to Talia's chagrin, "calm down and take a deep breath."

"This is all too much," Talia sighed, playing with the corners of her book, which caught Sirius' attention.

"What's that?" he asked, taking the book from her hands and flipping through the pages, "Lycanthropy, eh? Reading up on your dad, I see."

Talia stared at Sirius, shocked that he so casually just gave away the fact that he knew who her father was, and that he knew that her father was a werewolf, something that had taken her days to figure out. She couldn't believe it. Maybe this was why she felt like she could trust him. Maybe this was why she didn't really doubt his intentions. Talia was one of those people who liked to think that everything happened for a reason; was this the reason why she begrudgingly entered the Forbidden Forest with Sirius without really putting up a fight?

"Did I say something?" Sirius asked cautiously, placing the book between himself and her on the log. He noticed that her eyes were large, filled with unshed tears, and anger. Her hands were balled up into fists at her sides, and her back was ramrod stiff.

"You know who my father is?" she asked calmly.

Sirius blinked, surprised. Of course he knew who her father—**wait.** Did **she** not know her father?

"Love, I need your name," Sirius said slowly, "first name, middle name if you've got one, and most importantly— **_surname_**."

Talia didn't know what to say, and therefore she answered him honestly, mumbling, "Natalia Marina Snape."

Sirius nearly fell off the log. "Snape—**SNAPE!**?"

Talia immediately jumped off the log and stepped away from Sirius, not liking how he spit the name with venom. She was scared now, not really knowing what a man of his caliber could do to her. She was tempted to reach into her skirt pocket and pull out her wand, but something in the confused eyes of Sirius kept her from doing so.

"What's wrong with my last name?" she asked, weary of his expression. "And I'm only going to ask this once: how do you know my mother?"

"We were friends at Hogwarts!" Sirius blurted out.

_No shit… I thought we already established that._

"Natalia—"

"Talia, please…" Talia told him. "My mum and uncle only call me Natalia when I'm in trouble."

"Your uncle—of course! Snivellus was your mum's cousin!"

"Snivellus..." Talia repeated curiously. "Why would you call—"

Sirius waved a hand in the air, dismissing her question. It all didn't add up. What exactly happened when he was carted off to Azkaban? Did Remus and Isabella not stay together? They were heavily in love all those years ago, and while at Hogwarts too; Talia had Remus' eyes for crying out loud! It was obvious that she was his daughter!

"I'm so confused," Sirius mumbled, defeated. "Now get back here, you have some things to explain to me."

Talia nodded, resuming her previous seat and taking her book off the log to rest it on her lap. She looked down, examining the leather bound book with the golden letters on the cover, and the picture of a crescent moon. So Sirius Black was confused, and Talia wanted answers, answers that only Sirius Black had.

Oh, how twisted fate had become.

"Let's start all over, because right now we're just going in circles," Sirius finally said, straitening up. "Hello, my name is Sirius Orion Black, and everything you've probably heard about me is a lie, nice to meet you, Little One."

Talia stared at Sirius for a while, confused. What did he mean about everything she'd heard about him being a lie?

"Um, hello Mr. Black—"

"Don't call me that," Sirius hissed, "my father was Mr. Black. Call me… _Uncle_ Sirius!"

_He's crazy_, Talia thought, but complied, a small smile on her face. "Hello Uncle Sirius. My name is Natalia Snape but I prefer to be called Talia, my mum is Isabella, whom you already know, and my uncle is Severus Snape, which you also know… I think. I'm 11 years old… I don't know who my father is—oh, and I like chocolate."

Sirius laughed a bark-like laugh that made Talia grin.

"You like chocolate, eh?" Talia nodded. "Mooney and Belles loved chocolate too, especially the muggle ones that were filled with almonds."

"So my mum and Professor Lupin were friends when they were kids?" Talia asked, feeling a bit more at ease around the Azkaban escapee.

Sirius smiled. "They were best friends—"

"Were you my mum's best friend too?"

Sirius crinkled his nose and shook his head. "No, not really, not at first anyways; she didn't really like me too much. We were usually always fighting, but we became good friends towards our last years in school. I guess you could say we grew out of it."

Talia nodded, now somewhat understanding the situation.

"Can you tell me about Professor Lupin?" Talia asked, which threw Sirius off guard. "It's hard to believe he and my mum used to be friends."

"And why is that, Talia?" Sirius asked kindly.

"Well," Talia hesitated, "she's never really… mentioned him before."

_Well, that explains everything_, Sirius thought. _The poor dear doesn't know about Remus, but then why is she reading up on werewolves?_

"Can I ask you a question, before I begin to tell you about _Professor_ Lupin?"

Talia nodded.

"Alright, well…" Sirius didn't know how to ask her, but there was no use beating around the bush, was there? "You don't know who your father is, you're reading up about lycanthropy, and you have your uncle's last name—can you see how all this confuses me?"

"No," Talia said honestly. "But, um, you want me to fill in the blanks I guess, right?"

Sirius nodded.

"Okay, well, I've never really known who my father is. My mum said he left us before I was born. And the reason I'm reading up about werewolves is… well, I think my father must have been a werewolf. I mean, I get all wonky near the full moon, and my mum used to tell me that it was because of her animagus—she turns into an Arctic Wolf, you see. However, I asked Professor McGonagall—she's an animagus too, by the way, I asked her if the animalistic traits of a person's animagus can be passed down to their children, and she told me that it was impossible. So, I began reading up on werewolves because it was the next plausible answer that I found, and some of the things I go through are listed in this book I've got. My mum isn't a werewolf, and I was never near one when I was little, so the only other explanation that I found was that my father must have been a werewolf... and well, you've kind of confirmed it too."

"How old are you again?"

"I'm 11."

"And you figured this out all on your own?"

Talia nodded.

"Right," said Sirius. "You're wise beyond your years, you know?"

"I get that a lot," Talia said with a small chuckle.

"Okay, well, what about your last name? I can guess that Snape stepped up and gave you his name, but why?"

Talia shrugged. "Everyone is under the impression that I'm his daughter and according to mum that's how it should be because he's listed as my father on the birth registry thingy. I guess he and mum planned this so I wouldn't be deemed the bastard child of Isabella Prince—now Snape."

"Isabella_ Snape,_" Sirius repeated, cringing at the way the name rolled off his tongue. "She'll always be Isabella Prince to me."

"Yeah," Talia said, now hesitant to ask him the next thing that was on her mind. "Um, Uncle Sirius…"

"What? Oh, I know that look, your mum always made it when she wanted to ask something. Go on, ask away."

"Well, earlier you gave me the impression that you knew who my father is. I mean, you picked up my book and confidently blurted it out. Can… can you tell me his name?"

Sirius now found himself in a sticky situation. There was no doubt in his mind that Talia was the product of Isabella and Remus, but why did Isabella say that Remus walked out on them. He knew Remus, or at least he thought he did, and he was certain that Remus would **_never_** leave Isabella. However, the odds were against him at the moment; this wasn't Sirius' story to tell, because he honestly didn't know what there was to say, or what he _could _say.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you," Sirius told her sadly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I don't know all the specifics, therefore I need to keep a tight lip until I know everything."

Talia stood up angrily, stepping away from him and turning her back on him. Tears welled up in her eyes. Why couldn't he tell her? Why did he need to turn the other way and keep his lips sealed? Was it too much to ask for? Talia would never know.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and then soon there was an arm snaking around her waist, pulling her backwards against a chest. Sirius was hugging her from behind, trying to sooth her, but it was of no use.

"Why can't you tell me?" Talia asked softly, tears falling from the corner of her eyes.

Sirius turned her around and led her back onto the fallen tree, hoisting her up onto his lap and hugging her tightly. "It's not my story to tell, Little One."

Talia ignored the nickname and took a fist full of his torn prison robes into her hand, biting her lip to prevent sobs from escaping her.

Sirius was resolute in his final decision, and he was not about to utter a single word to Talia about who her father was… but he _could_ tell her some things about her father without completely lying.

"Do you want me to tell you about Mooney?" he asked with a small smile.

Talia nodded against his chest, asking softly, "Why do you call him that?"

"Just a random nickname…" Sirius made a face that Talia couldn't see. "Well, we all had nicknames. Mine was Padfoot, Remus' was Mooney, your mother's was Luna, and James' was Prongs."

"That's Harry's father, right? James?"

Sirius sucked in a breath and nodded, saying lowly, "Yeah. He was my best friend."

"Then why did you—"

"I didn't. Remember what I told you before, about not believing those lies about me?"

Talia now understood.

"Tell me," she asked, leaning away from him to look up at him, "if you didn't… do what everyone says you did, then who did?"

"I was betrayed by someone I thought was my friend," Sirius said seriously. "That's the reason I'm here, to set things right. I was sent to Azkaban for a crime I did not commit."

"I'm guessing I can't tell anyone about this, right?"

"Yes, no one must know about tonight."

Talia sighed and nodded, resting her head back on his chest. "Okay. Um, can you tell me about Professor Lupin now?"

"How about I tell you a little story about a group of kids called the Marauders? They were Hogwarts' band of pranksters, and your dear Professor Lupin was one of them…"


	20. Knowing: Part 3

It was Halloween, and quite a couple of days had passed since Talia's encounter with Sirius Black. Now sitting in the Slytherin common room with her best robes on, Talia yawned every two minutes and stared down at her lap in a sleepy daze. There was a full moon tonight, which meant that she was highly sensitive to everything going on around her, and also extremely sore and tired. Everyone's distinct scent was blending into one, giving Talia a slight headache, and the excited chitchat of students all meshed into one great big annoying voice.

She didn't feel like leaving the common room, let alone going to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast that everyone was so excited about. All she wanted to do was to curl up in bed and take the Sleepless Draught that her uncle had given her that morning for her to hold on to, just in case she needed it tonight, which she most certainly did. Her mother wasn't going to show up tonight, which meant that her uncle wasn't going to collect her in the middle of the night as he had done the previous full moon. She was alone on this Halloween evening, and she was slightly scared.

She'd never spent the full moon alone.

"Talia!" Astoria's voice floated high above all the rest, causing Talia to look up and spot her friend walking up to her.

"Hey Astoria," Talia greeted her friend with a small smile.

Astoria was about to say something, but then stopped herself. Talia looked horribly sick, more so than the last month. She had dark, purple circles around her eyes, her skin was pale, and her hair hung limply off her shoulders. Then there were her eyes, they were something extraordinary. Never had Astoria seen blue eyes that could change to amber.

"Um, are you feeling alright?" she asked delicately.

Talia shrugged, and leaned back on the sofa she was sitting on, getting comfortable. "I've been better."

"Okay, well I—"

"Astoria," it was Daphne who was calling Astoria, her voice sharp. Daphne was a tall girl with bright eyes and shoulder-length chocolate hair, she was very pretty, and shared her looks with her younger sister. "Come on, you're to sit with me tonight."

"Oh," Astoria squeaked, looking nervous and (to Talia) suspicious. "Well, I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Talia nodded and watched Astoria walk to the other side of the room where her sister was with the older Slytherins. They were far enough away that their conversation wouldn't be heard by anyone that wasn't in their immediate circle, but Talia wasn't exactly "anyone."

"I don't want you hanging around that Snape girl anymore," Daphne told her sister quietly. "She's not right."

"What do you mean?" asked Astoria curiously. "She's my friend."

"Mother says that Mrs. Snape was a blood-traitor, gallivanting around with the likes of Sirius Black of all people," Daphne spat. "I don't want you near Snape, understood? I don't care if she'd Professor Snape's daughter."

Astoria hesitated, and chanced a glance over at Talia, who had turned away in that exact moment. "Okay…"

Talia sighed. She hoped Astoria wouldn't listen to what her sister was telling her, but family was family, and if the Greengrass family was anything like the Snape's, then they would stick together. However, this also confirmed something that Talia already knew to be true: her mother had been friends with Sirius Black, and they weren't shy about their friendship, as Sirius had told her. It made Talia wonder who else probably knew of Isabella's old friendship with Sirius.

"What's with the sad face?" Draco asked as he suddenly appeared beside Talia, taking a seat on the sofa right next to her.

Talia blinked. "What?"

Draco shrugged. "You look sad, which is weird. I've never seen you sad before. You're always so… bubbly."

"I am not bubbly," Talia rolled her eyes and nearly growled, "nor am I sad. I just…I don't want to go to the Great Hall."

"But it's Halloween. The feast is mandatory tonight."

"I know," Talia groaned.

"You'll like it," Draco smiled. "The enchanted ceiling will have floating pumpkins and bats, and there will be all sorts of sweets on the tables."

Talia sighed, but nodded, giving Draco a small smile.

"C'mon," said Draco, rising from his seat and offering Talia his arm. "Let's get going before we get left behind."

"We wouldn't want _that_ to happen," Talia mumbled sarcastically, which made Draco laugh.

* * *

><p>Talia could smell Sirius; she knew he was near, probably hiding behind one of the many statues that lined the Hogwarts corridors. He smelled like wet fur, earth, and his own special musk that she'd engraved in her thoughts. His scent was unique, as were everyone else's, and right now her nose was leading her down a brightly lit corridor with burning torches that cast an orange glow on every surface. The further she walked, the more distant the voices of her fellow students became; for she had sneaked away from her fellow Slytherins while they exited the Great Hall after the Halloween feast had ended.<p>

Talia hoped Draco wouldn't realize she wasn't by his side anymore, though knowing him, he'd realize she wasn't with him, and he'd question her once she got back to the common room. Nothing escaped the eyes of Draco Malfoy, and Talia had to admit it was sometimes bothersome.

She kept walking, her ears trained on any possible sound that she heard other than the ones she was making. She hoped she'd find him before anyone found her. It was very stupid of him to enter the castle, but from their previous chat, Talia concluded that Sirius Black made his own rules.

Stopping at a corner, Talia heard the unmistakable voice of Sirius, and if the sudden smell of chocolates in the air was anything to go by, Remus Lupin was with him. She pressed herself against the stone wall, slowing her breathing and closing her eyes. She hoped they wouldn't notice her eavesdropping, but something told her that one of them was already aware of her presence.

"_I should kill you right now for-_-"

"**Mooney, have you not been listening to a word**—"

"_How can I trust you? Tell me, Padfoot!_"

"**Just… trust me, okay? You know I'd never betray them. It was Pete**—"

"_You killed him!_"

"**I did not, now lower your wand**!"

"_Lower__** your**__ voice! We're not… we're not alone anymore.._."

Talia sucked in a deep breath and shrank away from the wall, slowly taking backwards steps. She was safe with Sirius, but Remus was there, and she didn't know what exactly he'd make of the situation if he knew that she and Sirius were something akin to friends. Would her professor tell the headmaster, and would she be expelled for fraternizing with the "enemy?" Her only hope now was getting away and not being seen.

"I bet it's Snivellus," Talia heard Sirius say as she made her way down the corridor, trying and failing to keep her steps unheard.

"No," Remus said calmly, the ghost of a smile in his voice, "I know that scent… I know it _very_ well. It's not Severus."

Talia was too worried with being caught to pay any attention to the odd words her professor was saying. She heard movement at the end of the corridor, and without thinking, she darted behind the first thing she saw: a maroon colored tapestry with the Hogwarts crest. It was hanging down the side of the stone wall, and was several inches wide. Talia pressed herself against the wall behind the sheet of heavy cloth, but who was she kidding [?], she wouldn't fool anyone. She was literally standing behind a sheet of fabric, her body stuck out from behind it!

Talia suddenly wished she had stayed with the rest of her classmates, wished that she could turn invisible or turn into an ant, maybe then she wouldn't risk being expelled within the hour.

The footsteps grew closer, and closer, and closer until they stood a few steps away from the tapestry she hid behind. She held her breath, trying to be as still as a statue. If only she had realized that her form hiding behind the tapestry made the heavy fabric bulge outwards before going behind it. It was all wishful thinking from her part, really. Very** intense**, wishful thinking.

A hand shot out and tore the fabric from her form, and the sudden change in lighting left Talia blind for a moment before a pair of arms shot out and wrapped around her. Her vision cleared and she found herself daze for a moment, staring into familiar eyes that matched hers with the smell of chocolates and musk wrapping around her head.

"Natalia," Remus said quietly, almost losing himself with the feeling of Talia in his arms. He had been acting indifferently towards her during their classes together, and with her in his arms, holding her as he longed to do so, it was suddenly becoming real. She fit so well in his embrace, and her scent of lavender and chocolates reminded him of home. It made him feel safe, just like a hug from Isabella.

His wolf was growing frantic with a need to protect her, and with the full moon being only hours away it was all too much. He pulled her aside, placing himself in front of her protectively while he had his wand trained on Sirius.

"Well, hello there Little One."

Remus arched an eyebrow, his wand lowering slightly. "What is the meaning—"

"Seriously, Mooney," Sirius scoffed, a taunting smirk on his lips, "you think I wouldn't catch wind of Belles' girl? They look identical! Except for the eyes, she's got her _father's_ eyes."

Talia quirked an eyebrow, confused. Her mother always said that her blue eyes came from her grandmother's side of the family.

"What are you talking about, you fool," Remus' voice wavered, his eyes softening.

Sirius rolled his eyes and decided to keep quiet. He had said enough already, and he didn't want to jeopardize his position anymore than it already was. However, he could tell that by Remus' protective stance in front of Talia that his friend already knew. The protectiveness that Remus was showing wasn't something seen between teacher and student, but rather father and daughter.

"Um, can I say something?" Talia asked timidly, gaining Remus' and Sirius' attention. "He didn't do what he did, you know? It wasn't his fault."

Remus arched an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Well…" Talia hesitated, not really sure on what to say. "He should be a free man. He was betrayed. It wasn't his fault that Harry's parents… well you know. He's a good guy."

"See Mooney," Sirius said smugly, crossing his arms, "even the Little One agrees. Now put down your wand for Merlin's sake! I don't like that thing being pointed at me."

Begrudgingly, Remus obeyed; his eyes on Sirius for a moment before he settled them back on Talia. How could it be possible that Talia was familiar with Sirius, and what exactly had Sirius told Talia to make her believe that he was an innocent man?

"Natalia, what's going on?"

Talia gave Remus a small smile before saying, "We, uh, met the other night. It was scary at first, but then he told me his story."

"What?" Remus was confused.

"I told her about us," Sirius informed his friend, "about the Marauders, about Belles; just little anecdotes about the past, although I gave her a censored version—wouldn't want Isabella's wrath to come down on me, now would I?"

Remus didn't know what to think. He had Sirius right where everyone wanted him, right in front of him and helpless, and now he was fighting with himself. He could turn Sirius in, kill him, or listen to him and let him go free.

"Why do you trust him?" Remus asked Talia.

Talia shrugged, telling her professor something that her mother had said numerous times, "Everyone deserves a second chance."

Remus, against his better judgment, nodded his head. Maybe it was the closeness of the full moon, or maybe it was a buried need to have his friend back, but whatever the case may be, Remus decided to give Sirius a second chance.

"I'm not in trouble, right? Because if I am I'm just gonna say that I'm gonna run away right now and pretend this never happened."

Remus and Sirius chuckled, looking down at Talia's wide eyes which had gained an abnormal amount of amber specks, making them look almost fully golden.

"You're not in trouble," Remus smiled warmly, "but due to the severity of the situation, I'm—"

The sound of footsteps made Remus stop talking, and Talia's head jerked to the left. Someone was coming, and Talia and Remus could hear the heavy and fast-paced footfalls of someone headed towards them.

"There's a passageway just around the corner where we can hide," Talia said pointedly, taking Remus' hand and leading him down the hall, in the opposite direction from which the footsteps came from, "it's behind a large portrait of a unicorn and leads to the dungeons. I found it the other day while looking for the library, now c'mon..."


	21. Knowing: Part 4

It was almost silent on Spinner's End; the faint sound of laughter could be heard coming from just down the street, no doubt the muggles were celebrating Halloween.

Isabella used to love Halloween, but now it was marked as the anniversary of her friends' deaths, and there was nothing to love in that.

"Widget is doing well so far, my Mistress?" Widget's voice floated through the air, making Isabella blink and look around herself. She was standing in the sitting room in front of a bookcase, a small photo-album held in her hand.

"What?" she asked, leaving the book back on its shelf and turning around, looking down at Widget's big eyes; she was teaching the tiny elf how to knit, but it seemed that her thoughts had taken her far away, if only for a moment.

"Is my Mistress alright?" Widget asked timidly, taking a step back. Her mistress looked funny, and Widget was worried.

Isabella quickly smiled, nodding her head and walking over to the armchair that was in the corner of the room.

"Now, let's see how you've progressed?" she asked kindly, looking down at Widget and extending a hand.

Hesitantly, Widget dropped the short scarf she had been knitting onto her mistress' hand, scared that she had done something wrong. She could tell that there was something wrong with Isabella, for she looked sad and her smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Hmm…" Isabella hummed, looking down at the pink scarf with a clinical eye. It was knitted loosely, but it was soft and warm and would be flaccid when wrapped around the neck. It was the type of scarf Talia would wear, because she never liked rough fabric or constricting clothes; just like her father.

"Who are you making this for?" Isabella couldn't help but ask.

"Miss Natalia," Widget said with a huge smile, causing Isabella to smile as well.

"I can assure you," she grinned, handing Widget the scarf back, "Talia will wear it proudly. You can give it to her during Christmas! We can also bake some—"

A bright light filled the room just then, startling both Isabella and her little elf. Widget got in front of her mistress protectively, her large eyes trained on the form that was slowly emerging from the bright burst of light.

"Severus…" Isabella whispered, catching sight of the silver doe that now stood in the middle of the sitting room.

"_Black has infiltrated Hogwarts. Talia has gone missing_…"

Isabella was out of her seat in the blink of an eye, only one thing running through her head, and that was getting the fireplace ready for travel.

"Widget, stay here," she said, "I'll be at Hogwarts, if anything happens, inform me immediately…"

* * *

><p>Talia had her back pressed against the wall of the hidden passageway she'd let Sirius and Remus into. She sat on the floor with her legs crossed, focusing on the buckle of her shoe, as she tried not to show how nervous she was. There were only a few hours left until the full moon reached its highest peak in the sky. It left her only a few hours to get away from Remus and Sirius, for she wasn't sure what would come first, a panic attack or a seizure or maybe she'd go crazy and attack one of them. She could only hope that she got none tonight.<p>

The corridor was narrow, leaving her a limited amount of space to move around without bumping into Remus or Sirius. Sirius sat on the wall across from her, in a position similar to hers. Remus on the other hand, was leaning against the wall on Talia's side, a few feet away from her, with his arms crossed and his eyes sweeping the dark passageway curiously and nervously. Very much like Talia, he too was worried about the time, and would check his pocket watch every few minutes.

Oh, if only they knew…

* * *

><p>Remus wasn't sure how long it had been, maybe 30 minutes to an hour, but Sirius had somehow effectively fallen asleep, slumped on the floor with his arms underneath his head; he was snoring lightly, twitching occasionally. Talia had sneezed, the sound echoing so loudly in the passageway that it had made Remus jump, but not Sirius; he was most definitely passed out. Tonight had been too much excitement for him, and despite the not-so-late hour of the night, it was a sure fact that if given the chance, he'd sleep for days.<p>

Battling a fight against sleep of her own (which was actually welcomed despite everything, because she was usually an insomniac on nights like these), Talia blinked profusely in order to keep the sleep from claiming her eyes. She was also feeling sore from sitting in the same position for an indefinite amount of time. She wanted to stand up and stretch her legs, but she also wanted to leave the passageway and slink away to the dungeons. They would be cold right now, and Talia wasn't a fan of the cold, but the common room was there, and wherever the common room was, it was home for her. She contemplated jumping up and taking off running, leaving Remus behind to deal with Sirius, he could get off easier than her if he was caught, being a professor and all. The thought left Talia's mind as quick as it came, though. She couldn't just leave them. She was in this for the long haul.

"If my mum finds out about this, she's gonna kill me," Talia mumbled, making Remus look down at her with a brow raised. Talia merely shrugged.

"So, _Uncle_ Sirius, eh?" Remus asked casually, now that he had her attention.

Talia nodded. "I guess he felt the need to appoint himself as my uncle; since apparently he and my mum used to be friends… he also said that **_you_** used to be friends with my mum—the best of, actually."

A pained expression passed Remus' face, one that he could not hide from Talia. Her brows furrowed and she looked at him closely, tilting her head to the side. He was hiding something; she could almost smell it. He wasn't looking at her anymore, and had moved a few steps away from her. He hand ran though his hair, and he let out a deep breath. Talia had seen that "look" on older boys...

_What are you hiding, Professor Lupin_, Talia thought cryptically, and then it hit her, "Oh Merlin!"

Remus looked back at Talia, noticing the look of horror on her face. His pulse quickened and he held his breath, fearing that Talia had finally connected the dots… but then she began laughing, and it threw him off.

"What?" he asked, feeling like a child. He could feel his palms begin to sweat, and his chest tightening. The suspense was killing him, but he wasn't prepared for what Talia said next.

"You and my mum, huh," Talia chuckled, making Remus' face pale, "Sirius kept hinting about you two, and it's just… _weird_ to think that you and my mum could have been romantically involved."

Remus felt like dying. "What makes you think that we were_… together_, in our school days?"

Talia was beaming, sleep suddenly forgotten. "You just confirmed it!"

"I did no such thing."

"Yeah you did!"

"Did not."

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did–"

"For Godric's sake," Sirius' frustrated sleepy voice floated into the argument. "You're his pup! Now shut up!" He promptly fell back asleep after that.

The silence that followed was solid.

Talia looked at Sirius' sleeping form, not knowing what to make of his sudden outburst. He had been asleep, and her argument with Professor Lupin had waked him up, so he was probably talking nonsense in his delirious sate, but what did he mean by, "_You're his pup_?" She and her professor had been talking about his relationship with her mother, not—

Talia had an epiphany.

She looked up at Remus with new eyes, and noticed several things at once. His blue eyes had amber specks, which made them look almost golden (just like hers), his skin was pale, and he looked sick just like the month before, just like her. His hands were slightly shaking, and that smell of chocolates that floated from him, plus the fact that he was missing classes on days that Talia found herself feeling ill; all that combined with his involvement with her mother, it could only mean one thing.

"You're the werewolf that my mum…," she couldn't finish her sentence. Images of Remus swirled in her head, and she found herself scanning through her memories and being able to pick out things in him that she herself did. The way he sometimes smirked and looked cocky when amused, the way he crinkled his nose, the damn smell of chocolates that always floated off him…

_It can't be, it just can't… _and then she remembered the one day where he had grilled her about her mother, asking random questions, like what her favorite food was, where did she like to go on vacations, her hobbies, her skills. Those kinds of questions weren't very innocent, were they? She had thought that he was just curious, but now she realized that there was a reason behind his interrogation, because that was what it had been at the time without her knowing, an interrogation.

"Fucking shit," she mumbled, rising from her seat on the ground.

Remus stepped towards her, a sorry expression on his face, but Talia was beyond caring. She took in a deep breath, and took a step back while Remus took a step forwards. He held an outstretched hand towards her, but she didn't want him to touch her, she didn't want to have anything to do with him until she had her thoughts cleared, and then she realized that it was the night of the full moon, and he would be turning into the beast that she did not.

"We need to leave," she said calmly, putting all her thoughts behind her. "Did you take your potion?"

Remus was startled by her calm stance, and the fact that she was acknowledging his ailment without a look of disgust or a crinkle of her nose.

"Did you take your potion?" Talia said more forcefully, "we don't have all night for this!"

"Yes," Remus croaked, and then asked quietly, "did you take yours?"

Talia nodded, and Remus' biggest fear was confirmed; Talia turned.

"Talia—"

"Don't," she hissed, raising up a hand to stop him, "this is… it's a lot to take in, alright? I feel like shit and finding all this out, on this night of all the damn nights that… let's just go."

"We'll talk about this later," Remus finally managed to gather his wits.

Talia nodded. She had questions, and she'd be damned if they just left things as they were.

"We'll…" Talia found herself feeling faint; all these unsaid revelations, about her _professor _being her father, it had hit her hard. She wasn't surprised that she had been affected, somehow. She hoped that she wouldn't fall over and faint, but by the way her hands began to shake, she knew that something much worse was about to happen.

"Fuck," she mumbled stiffly, before her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she fell backwards.

Remus looked on, taking a step back, waiting for her to turn into a beast, but she didn't. She kept shaking on the ground, her limbs flailing about herself. Her hand came up and slashed across her face, leaving an ugly pink line across the underside of her jaw; pink foam began to spill from her mouth.

She'd bitten her tongue, and was choking.

"**SIRIUS**!" Remus yelled, startling the poor bloke out of his land of dreams.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked; sleep leaving him upon seeing Talia's shaking form on the ground, and Remus looking over her.

"She's having a seizure!"


	22. A Chance

"Isabella, please… calm down," Albus stressed for what seemed like the thousandth time, and all Isabella could do was narrow her eyes as she kept pacing the length of his office.

"There's a full moon tonight, Albus," she nearly cried.

Isabella had her hands running messily through her hair, her hazel eyes almost black as she kept her sights low. She had soot covering her shoulders from when she had stepped through the fireplace, but she hadn't even bothered to brush it off—it was not important. Her heart pounded wildly against her chest, and the tightness in her torso refused to leave. She was scared and nervous, irrationality taking over her train of thoughts and on instinct, she wanted to throw out spells and turn Hogwarts inside out in order to find Talia.

Severus of course, was the voice of reason and had managed to persuade Isabella into letting him keep her wand for the moment so that any "accidents" would not occur tonight by her hand.

Nevertheless, Isabella was highly skilled in wandless magic, and therefore the absence of her wand was only a minor setback.

"Isabella, please. You need to calm down. "

"I can't," Isabella sighed, waving a hand toward the door as she said, "my daughter is out there while there is… while… Sirius is running around the castle, Albus. I can't be calm, and it's also a full moon!"

Albus nodded, his blue eyes soft as they gazed at the distressed mother, then averted to the cool Potions Master who was standing in the corner of the room with a rather odd and uncharacteristic expression on his face. It was a look of forged seriousness and unconcern, while the eyes were round and absent of their usual sharpness. The old Headmaster could also see just a bit of a worried frown on that otherwise scowl that was always welcomed on his Potions Master's lips.

Was Severus Snape actually worried?

"Albus," Severus said coolly, "I think it would be wise if we search the dorm—"

"No, not the dormitories," Isabella interrupted, a sudden look of realization crossing her eyes, "I know where to look…"

Albus sent Severus a puzzled look, earning a subtle shrug of the shoulders and a mild look of confusion in return. The next thing either of them knew was Isabella disappearing from the room, her heels clicking loudly as she muttered incoherent sentences underneath her breath.

* * *

><p>Remus had his heart on his sleeve, watching as Talia flailed about on the floor, resembling a fish out of water. He didn't know what to do, nor even had the minimal idea of what was going on. She wasn't turning, but then again neither was he.<p>

"What do we do?" Remus asked pitifully, holding down Talia's arms to prevent her from scratching her face, while Sirius held down her kicking legs.

"I don't know, but she's choking again!" Sirius exclaimed, alarmed. "I'll hold her arms while you take out your wand and handle this."

Remus quickly moved away from Talia, watching in pain as the pink foam in her mouth became a bright ruby red. With a quick wave of his wand, and a softly spoken spell, the foam disappeared, but Talia was still making gagging noises. It was breaking his heart, watching his daughter on the floor, and knowing that there was nothing he could do to stop her suffering. She needed the help of a potion, one that he did not have, nor knew how to make.

"What are you going to do," Sirius asked, going back to holding Talia's legs while Remus held down her arms, "the full moon will happen soon, and you need to get away from here."

Something struck Remus then. The way Sirius had only talked about him, and not included Talia. It made him think if there was a possibility of her not turning. If she had only gotten a few traits, but not the full effect… he hoped for that. Remus did not want Talia to be plagued with the ridicule and prejudice that he had to go through. He did not want her to be shunned by society, as he was. She was too young for that, she had her whole life ahead of her to make a name for herself.

"Mooney!" Sirius' voice broke Remus' train of thoughts, and that was when he realized that Sirius had been calling him, signaling down at Talia, who was now unnaturally still.

The first thought that popped into Remus' head was death, and he was about to scream, but he quickly noticed the subtle movement of Talia's chest, going up and down. She was unconscious.

With a sigh of relief, Remus and Sirius took their hands off Talia's limbs, and sat back, staring down at her.

"She had told me something about this," Sirius said softly, "but never did I imagine it to be so… disturbing."

"How do you mean?" Remus asked, taking in a deep breath.

"She doesn't turn," Sirius said, noticing the way Remus' eyes widened. "She's not… like you, per say."

"So she goes through all the motions but doesn't transform?" Remus asked, a hint of surprise and relief in his voice.

Sirius nodded, giving his friend a soft smile. "Nothing to worry about, mate. Your girl's alright."

It was as if a weight had been lifted from Remus' shoulders, and he couldn't help himself but to reach out and gather Talia in his arms. He cradled her sleeping form against his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head as he sat there on the ground.

"A smart girl you've got there," Sirius went on to say, chuckling, "a Slytherin, of all things. Did you ever imagine that?"

"Well, I never imagined myself as a… _oh_," Remus nearly choked on his words.

"Mooney?" Sirius asked, his brows furrowing. The look that crossed Remus' face was one of realization, and pain… _immense_ pain. It was as if someone had knocked the wind out of him. "Did I say something?"

Remus blinked, sucking in a deep breath and looking down at his daughter.

Softly, he said, "I never imagined myself having children. I would humor Isabella at times when she'd go into one of her fits after seeing a baby, but at the end of the day, she knew that it would never happen. We couldn't have children… well, we could, but I would never be able to live with myself if we did."

"Remus," Sirius said seriously, "what are you saying?"

"I think I know why Isabella left," he said softly, looking away from his daughter, and up at his friend. "When James and Lily… when **_that _**happened, Isabella was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't deal with whatever it was that she was trying to say. The full moon was close, and with everything that had happened, I guess my mind was wonky. We got into an argument that night… and she was gone within the week."

Sirius was silent for a moment, digesting Remus' words. After a moment, he spoke, asking, "So you think Belles was trying to tell you that she was… pregnant?"

Remus nodded.

"Well," Sirius said, slightly shocked, "I guess now—"

Out of nowhere, a loud growl pierced the air, causing Remus and Sirius to look down the hall, from where the noise had come from. There, standing on all fours, was a large beast of an animal. It resembled a dog, with bright hazel eyes and snowy white fur. It was an Arctic Wolf, and one that both Sirius and Remus knew well.

"Bloody hell," Remus said in a whisper, causing the wolf to snarl as it began advancing towards them, canines bared.

In a flash, Sirius' form began contorting into the shape of a black, shaggy dog—his animagus. He trotted forwards, positioned himself between the wolf and Remus, who still cradled Talia in his arms. The wolf suddenly shot forward and Sirius did the same. Remus watched nervously as the two canines met at the middle of the hallway, and then began circling one another, growling.

"Sirius, don't do anything stupid," Remus found himself saying.

The black dog made a whining noise, but otherwise was silent, taking a few steps away from the wolf and sitting back on its hind legs.

_Isabella, _thought Sirius hesitantly, cocking his head to the side as he studied the wolf.

The wolf before him snarled, circling him, its plump white tail wishing back and forth. Isabella had heard him, as would any other animagus. Maybe it was because they were humans trapped in the bodies of animals, but they had always had that special telepathic connection that enabled them to communicate with each other while in their animagi forms.

_Sirius_, Isabella growled, _care to explain what is going on?_

_Your pup had a seizure, _Sirius said, pausing for a moment to gauge Isabella's reaction. He wasn't surprised as Isabella froze, her hackles raising, and her golden eyes narrowing.

_She had a… seizure?_

Sirius nodded his head, telling her_, she's fine now. Remus made sure that she didn't choke. We didn't know what to do other than that, so we pinned her down. She's… asleep now._

The wolf before Sirius snorted, its way of sighing, before mimicking Sirius' stance on the floor. The two sat there, staring at one another, before Isabella took a chance and looked past Sirius, to where Remus sat on the floor, holding Talia to his chest. It nearly took her breath away, seeing him after so many years. He nearly looked the same, and it made her heart flutter, but the differences in him made her want to die. He looked older, wary, haunted, sick… he looked horrible. The Remus she had last laid eyes on was still there, but his ailment had taken a toll on his body with the passing years.

_You need to talk to him_, Sirius' voice fluttered across her mind, making Isabella look away from Remus. _He knows now._

_He knows? What do you mean he knows? Knows what_, she screamed, making Sirius flinch.

Sirius rolled his eyes, a strange feat when coming from a dog, and stood on all fours. _He knows that Talia is his. Did you really think that you could keep that from him?_

A pained whine escaped Isabella before she stood on all fours too, and took to pacing the width of the hallway. _I didn't… I just… It had to be done. He couldn't know about her._

Sirius barked, snarling as he lunged at Isabella, knocking her off her paws. Remus watched in muted horror as the large black dog pinned the wolf down, snapping its jaws.

_How could you keep this from him? Do you have any idea what—_

_He would have left me,_ Isabella snapped, surprising everyone as she shifted back into her human form, saying softly, "he would have left _her_."

The silence that followed took an eternity to break, but once it was broken, Isabella wished she had never spoken.

"I would have never left her," said the voice of Remus, sounding broken, "I would have stayed, if you'd given me the chance."


	23. Righting the Wrong

The silence was killing Isabella. Tears had managed to break free from her hold and were now falling down her face. She didn't care that Sirius was pinning her down, his snout mere inches from her face, or that it was liable for anyone to walk in on the situation and think the worst. Remus mattered in that moment, and the words he had told her, the words that had shattered her heart in mere seconds…

"_I would have stayed, if you'd given me the chance_."

Oh, how Isabella wanted to turn back time and take away everything that she had done. Remus would have stayed; he would have stayed for Talia! Of course he would have stayed, he was responsible, and he would have owned up to the consequences of his actions and loved Talia as any father would love their daughter.

However, Isabella had been blind, blinded by fear, and the words that Remus had told her about not being able to have children. It was then that she realized her mistake. She had never asked Remus what would have happened if she _had_ gotten pregnant. She had never asked him what they would have done if a new life were to be brought into the world. It had always been just warnings, because the two had always been so careful, but now Isabella realized the error of her ways… she had been quick to judge, quick to assume that Remus would leave her, when in reality he would have stayed, because that was the kind of person that Remus was.

"Merlin," she whispered, her voice wavering as she said, "What have I done?"

"You did what you thought was necessary," Remus answered softly, "even though it wasn't the right thing to do."

Hearing his voice made more tears fall from Isabella's eyes. He sounded so broken, so cheated by what life had dealt him, and it was all her fault.

Sirius took this as his opportunity to hop off Isabella, and trot back to Remus' side, shifting back into a human. By now, Remus was off the ground, standing on his two feet with a sleeping Talia cradled in his arms. She looked like such a child, with her cheek resting on Remus' shoulder, and her arms thrown precariously over his shoulders, while being supported by Remus' hands, which rested on her bottom and prevented her from sliding off his front and to the floor.

They looked so natural together.

With the weight of Sirius now off her, Isabella shakily sat up, then stood. She took a moment to smooth down her dress, before taking a deep breath and facing the two men. The expression on Sirius' face was one of sadness, and Isabella would have been appalled by Sirius' scraggly appearance, if Remus hadn't of stepped forward with Talia.

"I need to go," he said softly, his voice wavering as he shakily approached Isabella. "The full moon is—"

"I understand," Isabella said softly.

Remus nodded, stopping once he was about a foot away from Isabella. She looked just as he remembered her, with her long black hair reaching her hips, and her golden eyes like looked like molten honey. Even with tears running down her cheeks, she still looked as beautiful as the first day he'd laid eyes on her.

"She knows," Remus said after a moment, looking down at Talia, "she figured it out."

Isabella looked at him with wide eyes.

"She's smart," he said, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Just like her father," Isabella said softly.

Remus shook his head, wanting to say that Talia was as smart as her mother was, but chose to stay silent. He passed his daughter off to her mother, who held her tightly in her arms, kissing her forehead.

"We need to talk, but not now," Remus said, sighing. "I'll send you an owl."

Isabella nodded, not knowing what else to say.

Taking one more look at Isabella and Talia, Remus turned, making his way back to Sirius.

"Wait," Isabella called after them, making the two men turn to look at her, "Sirius, why are you here?"

The two men were stunned that Isabella was only just acknowledging Sirius' visit, but they didn't blame her for being slow. Too much had already happened to think on trivial things such as Sirius' appearance.

"Just…. Visiting an old _friend_," Sirius said nonchalantly, before shifting into his animagus, and taking off down the hall.

Isabella stood there, confused, just staring at Remus, who gave her a shrug, saying nonchalantly, "Peter isn't dead."

"What?"

"His name was on the map, and the map never lies," Remus informed her.

"The Marauder's Map?" Isabella asked in disbelief, "but I thought the map was lost."

"It somehow managed to fall into Harry's hands," Remus said with a soft chuckle. "Just like his dad, that one."

Isabella was silent, before asking, "Peter isn't dead? How can that be true? Sirius—"

"He was framed," Remus bit back, almost snarling.

Isabella looked at him, slightly stunned, taking a step back.

"I—I'm sorry," Remus said with a slight shake of his head. "The moon…"

"I know. Just go," Isabella told him softly, "I'll be waiting for your owl."


	24. Tell

It was dark, and silent. She was in the middle of a black abyss… but then Talia realized that the reason for that was that her eyes were closed. As the sounds in the room became louder, she realized that she was waking up from a deep slumber. Slowly all the sounds in the room began meshing into one, creating a low buzz that made Talia want to scratch her ears off. She was sensitive right then, and even the drop of a pin from across the room could be enough to set her off. She was also in a rotten mood, for as the noise slowly began to get louder, and the darkness began to fade into light, her memories of the past few hours were dragged to the surface.

Remus Lupin, the man she had deemed her favorite professor, was her father. She wasn't exactly sure how to feel about that. He had been right there, right under her nose (quite literally) for many weeks. It was a surprise that she hadn't figured out something sooner. His smell, now that she took a moment to think about it on a deeper level, mirrored hers, and then there were his eyes… Talia felt, to put it simply, **blind**.

Her eyes fluttered open, only to meet with a bright pair of topaz eyes that mirrored her mother's eyes. Elijah Prince stood looming over her, giving her a warm smile. He looked so much like Severus that Talia had been confused for a moment, but she had always been able to tell her grandfather and uncle apart by the color of their eyes, and the fact that her grandfather smiled more.

To say that Talia was surprised was an understatement. She hadn't seen her grandfather in a long time, and even though his face was a welcomed one, she wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and forget; forget everything that had happened, forget who she was, **_what_** she was….

Obviously, this would not happen—not now, at least.

"Nice nap?" asked Elijah nonchalantly; receiving a grunt from Talia as she sat up on what she soon realized was a sofa.

They were in Severus' sitting room, Talia soon realized as she looked around.

"Looks like someone is in a foul mood," said Elijah with a teasing chuckle.

"I've had a long night," said Talia with a shrug.

"Yes, a **very** long night," said the disembodied voice of Isabella, and soon the woman in question was standing before Talia, having nearly pushed Elijah out of the way in the process.

Talia automatically recoiled, afraid of being smacked on the side of the head, but then it hit her (no pun intended), that her mother didn't have any right to boss her around or tell her anything, not after what she had found out earlier that evening.

"Why didn't you tell me," Talia nearly snarled, narrowing her eyes and baring her teeth in a scowl.

"Tell you _what_?" bit back Isabella, crossing her arms and looking down at her daughter.

"You _know_ what," spat Talia, rising from her seat. "Professor Lupin is my father!"

Isabella's cool streak broke, and she looked away from her daughter, a guilty expression making itself home on her face.

"He's a werewolf," said Talia, softly this time, sitting back down on the sofa, "which means… that I'm one too, partially at least."

A large, drawn out sigh left Isabella, and cautiously she took a seat beside her daughter. The soft snarl that left Talia's lips didn't go unnoticed, therefore Isabella scooted to the side, so that she and her daughter were each on opposite ends of the furniture. Talia needed her space, and after everything that Isabella had done— all the lies she'd told, it was the least she could do for her daughter.

"Where to begin," said Isabella absentmindedly, a soft, almost sad sigh leaving her lips. She was confused, but not so much that she hadn't figured out what was going on. It was more an unexplainable feeling running through her veins. She felt anxious and there was this itchy knot in her stomach that made her restless. Regret and guilt were there too, knocking on the inside of her head, making her chest tight and nearly causing her to choke out a dry sob. Anyone with two eyes could see how much the situation was upsetting Isabella as the seconds ticked by, but most of all the desperation and uncertainty on her face showed that she was a woman who wanted to right her wrongs, but had no idea where to begin.

Years of lying couldn't be turned in a single night. This would take time, and Isabella was afraid that as the time wore on, Talia would grow distant. Talia was all she had, all that there was, all that she lived for. Talia never rejected her, and in a way, Isabella thought of her daughter as a safety blanket—the thought made her want to zap herself.

"The beginning is usually preferred," said Elijah, with a slight scowl on his face that made Talia wonder. Isabella was the apple of his eye, she could do no wrongs in the eyes of her father.

For Talia's grandfather to **_scowl_** at Isabella was enough to tell Talia that she was not the only one to have been lied to tonight.

"Are you sure mum shouldn't be here as well?" asked Isabella, playing with the hem of her dress' sleeve.

Talia began looking around the room just then, and she noticed that the only other people in the room were her uncle, who stood by a corner, his arms crossed and a blank expression on his face, and Dumbledore, residing on one of the armchairs by the fireplace with a cup of tea. He too had a blank expression on his face, but once he caught Talia's eye he gave her a smile, and a small nod of the head. Strangely, that small action made Talia feel a bit calmer. She supposed Dumbledore just had a way of making people relax by given them just a look.

"Your mother will be informed of these events when I get back to the manor," said Elijah, "after all, you only requested for my presence here tonight, not hers'. Merlin knows that if your mother knew what was happening she'd skin you alive."

"Very reassuring," said Isabella with a roll of the eyes, sighing and leaning back in her seat.

A pregnant pause soon followed, in which Talia began to realize that her grandfather kept shooting Isabella evil looks. So Isabella hadn't informed her parents about Remus… that was interesting, to say the least. Talia had always just assumed that her grandparents knew that Severus was only just her uncle, and that they played along with the whole "father" act, but the realization that her grandparents thought Severus was _actually_ her father—well, Talia didn't even want to think of that. The mere thought made her want to vomit.

"I left Remus, he didn't leave me," said Isabella suddenly, breaking the silence. "I was scared, and stupid, and I thought I was doing the right thing—"

"Because he's a werewolf?" interjected Talia with a frown, not being able to keep herself silent.

Isabella shook her head, giving her daughter a sad smile. "He didn't… Well, yes, partly because he's a werewolf, but not because of the reasons you might think. I left because I found out I was pregnant. I was going to tell Remus, of course, but the timing just wasn't right. So many things had happened in the span of a few short hours—"

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

Isabella sucked in a breath. She looked over to Severus, who gave her a slight nod, which didn't go unnoticed by Talia.

"I was going to tell your father that I was pregnant on the day that the Potters' died," said Isabella quietly.

Talia's eyes widened a bit, but she kept silent.

"I had planned on telling him that morning, but I kept putting it off because I was scared. Then nightfall came and we got the news that _You Know Who_ had paid the Potters a visit," said Isabella, near tears. "Merlin, your father and I were devastated. James and Lily were our best friends, and then suddenly they were gone—that night your father and I got into an argument. He's a werewolf, and they say that the condition can be passed through birth as easily as it can be transferred through a bite, so he, he didn't want…"

Isabella couldn't continue. She sighed, looking down at her lap.

"Are you saying," asked Talia, hesitantly, looking at her mother, "that he didn't want... _me_?"

Isabella nodded her head, and Talia couldn't hold back the tears that she hadn't been aware of holding.

"You have to understand," began Isabella quickly, looking at Talia, taking a chance and leaning over to place a comforting hand on her knee, "your father was scared. Our relationship was… nearly perfect, but we were constantly fighting. He is a werewolf and people in today's day and age are prejudice. It's gone down a bit with time, but back in our youth… it was, Merlin, it was horrible."

Sighing heavily, Isabella bit back tears as she continued with, "Can you see where I'm going with this? He didn't want to pass his condition. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did."

"So you just left him?" exclaimed Talia, pushing her mother's hand off her knee. She quickly stood from the sofa, and turned to look down at her mother. "How could you do that to him? Did you at least leave him a note? Did he even know I existed?"

Isabella's silence told Talia all she needed to know.

"I can't believe you," hissed Talia, eyes narrowed and fists clenched at her sides.

"I was doing it for you," said Isabella, rising from her seat. "Do you think I would have liked for you to have been rejected by your own father? I didn't want you to go through that!"

"So you thought hiding me away and feeding me lies would be best?" asked Talia darkly, eyes narrowed in a fierce glare.

"Yes!" yelled Isabella.

Talia shook her head. "You went too far."

Isabella bit her lip and looked to the ground, wrapping her arms around herself. Softly she said, "Yes, I did."

"I can't forgive you," said Talia, making Isabella snap her head up.

"Tal—" began Isabella, walking forwards.

"No," said Talia with a bitter laugh, holding up her hands so that her mother didn't approach her. "Don't touch me."

"But Talia," said Isabella softly, her voice wavering, "I did it because—"

"You were stupid."

"Natalia," hissed Severus from his corner, "regardless of the current events, keep your ill temper in check."

Talia shook her head. "I need space."

Isabella nodded, that was the best she could do for now. Talia needed space, and time to think things through clearly.

Talia crossed her arms and turned to look back at her uncle. "I want to go back to the common room."

"I'll escort you," said Elijah, rising from his seat. "I think I need a bit of fresh air after that colorful tale."

Isabella bit her lip to the point of drawing blood. Everything had gone all wrong.

"I'm sorry," she said to both her father and her daughter. "I only did what I thought was best."

"We all make mistakes," said Elijah, placing a hand on Talia's shoulder, and looking straight at Isabella, "although I expected better from you."


	25. Fate

The mood was dark, the only sound heard throughout Prince Manor being that of the crackling fire in the second floor sitting room. Settled on the sofa before said fire was Elijah and his wife, a bottle of firewhiskey placed on the small table before them. Their thoughts were muddled, their emotions all over the place.

Out of the two, Sophia was the one hurting the most. After screaming and yelling, casting spells and hexes, and nearly apparating to Spinner's End to give her daughter a piece of her mind, she had finally calmed down enough to think rationally. She could not believe the news that her husband had brought her just hours ago. A part of her wished it was a poorly played joke, but deep in her heart she knew that what was happening—what **had **happened, was very real.

Her daughter (and nephew) had lied… about everything.

Shaking her head and looking down to her lap, Sophia exhaled, and softly mumbled, "Poor Remus."

"Aye," agreed her husband, thinking of the werewolf in question.

"I cannot blame Isabella and Severus for doing what they did, though," Sophia said quickly and quietly.

Elijah nearly choked on the firewhiskey he had been drinking.

"She did what she thought was best—"

"Yes," snapped Elijah, interrupting his wife, "but—"

"She panicked, Eli," said Sophia, giving him a small smile, her eyes filled with unshed tears. "She did what she thought was best, and albeit dense, she did it to _protect_ her child. As a mother, I can understand where she comes from. If I were to have been in the same place as she at the time, I would have reacted the same, though with a bit more tact."

"Wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw for a reason, I suppose," agreed Elijah with a sigh, taking a swing of his glass of firewhiskey, "Slytherin through and through, that girl."

Sophia nodded, sinking into her seat, letting the back of her head fall back on the sofa. She was too tired, and had drunk one too many glasses of firewhiskey, but her mind was still sharp, and like any Ravenclaw, she began thinking of the future, of what it would now be like with this new piece of life changing information. Her daughter's relationship with her granddaughter would never be the same, but given the right amount of time, they would work things out; of that, Sophia was sure. Then there was the… _condition_, of Talia's father. That in itself was another thing entirely.

Sophia wasn't prejudice, as Healer-In-Charge of First Floor: _Creature-Induced Injuries,_ at St. Mungo's, she needed to be accepting of anything, everything, and **_anyone_** who came through those doors. To her they were just her patients; she never singled anyone out, especially the high-risk patients (which were usually werewolves and other humanoids) that were always sent her way. Thinking about that made her snicker, which earned her a raised eyebrow from her husband.

"Knut for your thoughts?"

"I was just remembering," she said softly, placing her hand on his knee and giving him a look. "Do you recall a certain 6-year-old boy becoming my charge on the night after the full moon, way back when?"

A small smile graced the lips of Elijah as he thought of what his wife was trying to say. He did remember, all those years ago, of a little 6-year-old boy being attacked by a werewolf. He had been the Auror on call when the attack on the little boy had taken place. His wife had just ascended to Healer-In-Charge at the time, and because of the fact that a werewolf had attacked the little boy, they had placed him in his wife's care… after shutting down the whole floor because they deemed the little boy a security risk. That was rubbish, really. Elijah remembered the little boy fondly. He was so small, and so very scared. He had not wanted anyone to touch him because he did not want to infect anyone with his, as the boy had put it, sickness.

"Poor Remus…" he said softly, remembering the little boy fondly.

Fate had a cruel way of working, but it appeared that Remus Lupin was meant to be in their lives from the very start.


	26. One Step Forward

October seemed to have come and gone, and they were now in the first days of November. To anyone who could not read minds it would appear as if all was well, though that was far from it. Gryffindor Tower had acquired a new guard to guard the entrance to their common room. He went by the name of Sir Cadogan—the only portrait brave enough to take up the job. Talia never got a chance to talk to Sirius about why he had slashed the previous portrait, though his intentions were clear. He wanted to get into the Gryffindor common room, but for what, Talia hadn't the slightest clue. She hadn't seen him since that eventful Hallows Eve either.

It was somewhat depressing for Talia now that she did not have her _dear_ Uncle Sirius. Their meetings had been brief, though she had connected with him faster than she did with others. She had Draco and Hermione nonetheless, Hermione who had surprisingly turned bitter towards Ron. Ron of course had made Harry side with him, leaving Talia to stick with Hermione in a desperate attempt to comfort her. Crookshanks had appeared to have killed… or gobbled up (what have you), Scabbers, and for that Talia had given the cat a large ball of golden yarn, along with a good brushing, which had Hermione beaming and Ron scowling. Talia had never liked that rat to begin with, the vibe she got when she had been around it was just… that rat wasn't normal, and it had given Talia a feeling of unease whenever Ron would pull it out of his pocket.

One afternoon while Draco was off at the Quidditch pitch supervising the Slytherin team's practice rounds for their up and coming match with Gryffindor, Hermione and Talia were up at the library going over their homework assignments for Potions and Divination, respectively. But of course, Hermione was focusing more on Potions since Divination was a clear waste of her time, and Talia had been zoning in and out of consciousness, not bothering with anything really. She hadn't been sleeping well, not since Halloween. With everything that had happened, her insomnia had consumed her, and she was lucky if she got three hours of sleep at night.

"Hermione," Talia asked with a dreamy sigh, obviously having pulled herself out of one of her daydreams, her essay for Divination untouched, "hasn't it ever bothered you that I'm a Slytherin?"

Hermione pushed back her bushy brown hair and looked up from her piece of parchment, giving Talia a questioning look. After just staring at her with a thoughtful look in her brown eyes for a moment, Hermione shrugged her shoulders, and went back to answering one of the review questions that her Potions book offered.

"You made quite an impression on me, with crashing into me and all," said Hermione lightheartedly, causing Talia to snicker, "but no, not really. We have many things in common, unbelievably, and it is nice to have a girl to talk about… girly _things_ with, you know? I don't think I've talked about nail varnish in _ages_—"

"Oh, speaking of things like that," said Talia with interest, "why does the muggle eyeliner come in a little stick of wood, like a pencil? Wouldn't you stab your eye like that if you tried putting it on? Why can't they just use a brush?"

Hermione smiled.

Unbeknownst to Talia and Hermione, their Defense professor had been sitting in the corner of the room. He had a book on his tabletop, but had lost interest in it the second he caught a whiff of Talia's scent. He had been absent from his classes since Halloween (Severus having covered for him), and hadn't had much of a chance to seek Talia out. However, he had thought that giving her some space, and time to adjust to everything that had been thrown at her in the span of a night, would do her right.

He was sorely mistaken.

It was like a stab through his heart as he caught sight of her for the first time since Halloween. She had on a small smile as she listened to Hermione rattle on about cosmetics, but he could see straight through her. The smile she wore was a mask; she was terribly tired and troubled, with purple bags slowly forming underneath her eyes. Said eyes, that were usually a brilliant shade of blue, were dull, having lost their carefree spark. He knew the full moon had been various days past, but to see her so affected… well; he supposed that that wasn't the only thing affecting her health.

Remus was still recovering too, from the full moon and what had happened before it.

_My little one_, he thought sadly, returning his attention to his book as Hermione had begun to gather her things, saying that she had a muggle magazine on cosmetics and other "girly things" that she wanted to show Talia. Talia looked enthusiastic as she followed Hermione out of the library, but Remus noticed the slight slouch of her shoulders and the drag in her steps. He wanted to go after her and pull her close and never let her go, but he knew he couldn't.

_Not yet._

Making a quick decision, he closed his book and slipped it into his messenger bag. From said bag, he pulled out two pieces of yellowed parchment, along with a quill that had seen better days, and a tiny pot of black ink. Gathering his wits, he straightened up in his seat and dipped his quill into the pot of ink. He needed to talk to Talia, but first things first; he was over due on that owl he had promised Isabella.

* * *

><p>Draco was fuming, and Talia knew exactly why. There had been a schedule change for the Quidditch game everyone was anticipating, and now the ones who were going to go against Gryffindor were the Hufflepuffs. Pansy cooed into Draco's ear as he sat on the couch in the Slytherin common room, a sight that Talia hated to admit made her slightly jealous. She… did not <em>like<em> Draco; he was practically family after all. They had even bathed together when they were little, but Talia couldn't help but feel the tiny green monster known as envy make its way into her eyes, clouding her vision momentarily.

This was totally not something that needed to be piled onto the seaming pile of shit that was her life. She had enough things to worry about as it were. It was giving her a headache.

"Snape," a voice called, making Talia look away from Draco and Pansy. "I have something for you."

Talia turned, coming face to face with Astoria's older sister. The girl didn't like her, Talia knew, and she had even went as far as forbidding Astoria to hang out with her, so it was quite a surprise to see her standing before her. She couldn't help but to arch an eyebrow and nearly growl, "What?"

"It's a message from Professor Lupin," Greengrass said with a roll of the eyes, reaching into the pocket of her robes, "something about a paper you wrote."

A cream-colored envelope was produced. Without any more words exchanged, the envelope was left on the table that Talia had been occupying to finish up on her work. Nodding in acceptance, Talia took the envelope and tucked it into her robes, and gave Greengrass a sarcastic little smile before she stuffed the still-untouched essay for Divination into her messenger bag.

_I can certainly do without that_, Talia thought as she glanced over towards the fireplace, seeing Pansy literally nuzzling up to Draco's side, while Draco just held a stoic expression on his flawless face, although, looking a little bit closely, Talia noticed the slight twitch of his mouth.

The poor boy was suffering, and the thought almost made Talia laugh aloud.

Talia left the common room quickly, ignoring the fact that it was getting late and she had been restricted from wandering the halls alone ever since her little mishap on Halloween. She was sure one of the Slytherin prefects was most likely making his or her rounds of surveillance down in the dungeons, though Talia knew that all she had to do was lie and say she was going to see her Head of House—her _father_, for all intents and purposes. All the students seemed to fear the Potions Master, and Talia was sure that no one would get in between her and a "meeting" with their Head of House, least they face his wrath.

Making sure no one was following her, Talia took a seat on a flight of stairs that led up to the main level of Hogwarts, pulling Remus' letter out of her pocket as well as her wand. She unfolded the letter swiftly, noticing a smaller piece of parchment slip onto her lap. She ignored it and focused on the larger piece of parchment first.

"_Lumos_," she whispered softly, pointing the glowing tip of her wand to her professor's letter, and then began to read.

_Natalia, I would like to have a word with you. I'm concerned about you, and I'm sure you know why. Meet me in my office. I've attached a note which will allow you to reach me without any obstacles._

_Please, do not ignore this. We really need to talk._

_—Remus_

"Merlin," Talia whispered, rereading the letter and letting her eyebrows meet at the middle in worry.

A feeling of dread filled her. She had been weary of… her father since the full moon. It was not because she was afraid, which she wasn't; he was her **father**, the person she thought about finding, the person who had contributed to her conception. However, with the days having passed and the excitement of Halloween having died down, it had given Talia time to think clearly, to digest her mother's words.

Remus Lupin hadn't wanted children, and her mother had left because she did not want Talia to suffer the hot sting of rejection.

Her mother was protecting her.

With a shaky sigh, Talia folded up the letter neatly and placed it back in her pocket. Next came that note:

_Please excuse Miss Snape from any house penalties. Her presence is required in my office._

—_Professor R. J. Lupin_

The fact that he had signed both papers differently didn't go unnoticed. Whereas the first letter was more intimate, the hall pass of sorts sounded very professional. It made Talia's stomach twist and turn, but she could no longer shy away from knowing the truth.

She would see him tonight, and they would talk about everything.


	27. A Breath of Fresh Air

_Isabella,_

_I had hoped to send word earlier, but given the… events that led up to the full moon, my recovery has taken a bit longer than expected. As promised, I am sending you this owl to call on you. Meet me in my office tonight at 9 o'clock; my Floo connection will be open._

—_Remus_

* * *

><p>Isabella was near hyperventilating, her chest heaving and feeling painfully tight, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. She clutched the old yellowed parchment to her chest, her breaths coming in hiccups as she tried to stop herself from sobbing. She hadn't slept well since Halloween, and was living on Pepper Up potions to get by. She hadn't been able to do anything but lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, and only leaving her room to go to the toilet. It had come to the point where Widget had actually yelled at her mistress to eat.<p>

Things were bad; Isabella had gotten low.

Now, with that letter clutched to her chest, it gave her hope. Maybe she could make things right, maybe she could finally stop with the lying—the deceiving. She wanted it all to stop. She wanted her daughter back; she wanted her parents to look at her with pride in their eyes as they had before.

She wanted Remus.

The letter was a blessing. It gave her the strength to leave her room, to shower and dress, to eat—it gave her back her will. Isabella had thought Remus wanted nothing to do with her after everything she had done, and thankfully, she had been wrong.

"Does my Mistress want Widget to come?" asked the little house elf, looking up at her mistress anxiously.

Isabella shook her head, crouching down and placing a hand on Widget's head, she said, "I have to go at this alone, thank you for the offer though. Maybe you can have some of that chocolate ice cream ready for me when I get back. I have a feeling I'll be needing a pick-me-up."

The little elf nodded her large head vigorously, smiling wide and throwing her arms around her mistress' neck. Isabella smiled, hugging back the elf before straightening up and smoothing down the creases in her robes.

"Widget will have ice cream ready for her mistress," the little elf said excitedly, leaving the room with a snap of her fingers.

The elf's actions made a small smile settle on Isabella's lips, and settled down her twisting stomach.

"Well, old girl, time to face the music," Isabella said softly, giving her room a quick once over before walking towards her fireplace.

* * *

><p>The office for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class was spotless. Every book, piece of paper, trinket—it all had its place. However, out of nervousness, Remus walked around his office, wand out, muttering soft spells to tidy the place up. He would dust every surface, straighten the furniture, and as of recently, he had taken to polishing the wooden floors to the point where he had almost slipped while pacing because the floors were thickly coated in wax.<p>

He couldn't help being a perfectionist. He also couldn't help being nervous.

Isabella Prince—_Snape_ now, he supposed, had been the bane of his existence once upon a time. She was his mate. His werewolf had marked her (they were bonded), and once marked it was for life. He was tied to her, physically and mentally, and he hadn't realized up until now how much her absence had weakened and affected both him and the wolf. In his research, he had read about wolves coming close to the point of dying when separated from their mates, and he could rightfully say that he had been close to knocking on death's door various times throughout the years he'd been without Isabella.

To be given the chance to see her again, to be in her presence, was making Remus giddy with excitement. So much so that he was having a bit of a hard time taming his counterpart. The wolf was just so happy…

A flash of bright, emerald green flames startled Remus out of his musings, making him spin on his heels just in time to see Isabella step out of his fireplace, brushing off her shoulders and muttering about how much she hated the Floo Network. It made him smile; she hadn't changed… much.

"I-Isabella," Remus stuttered, his hands shaking at his sides. He was beside himself. It had been too long since he had had a proper good look at her. Isabella virtually looked the same, give or take a few extra inches to her waist-length hair. Her eyes were the same honey he remembered, and her scent—it had the wolf howling.

Isabella's head snapped to meet his gaze, her eyes going wide and her lips parting. She tried to speak, but words failed her.

Remus took in a deep breath, allowing Isabella's scent of lavender to wrap around him like a warm blanket before he took a few steps towards her. He could see her bottom lip quivering, her honey eyes glossing over with unshed tears. Despite looking at the verge of breaking down, she was still beautiful to him. This was the woman he had fallen in love with; the first person he had ever made friends with. He could remember meeting her when he was 6 years old, when he had been attacked by Fenrir Greyback and taken to St. Mungo's.

Isabella had been brought by her father at the request of her mother, to keep Remus company for a day and to give him someone to talk to while they did the usual tests on him. He would never forget the look she had given him, or the way she had made him feel upon their meeting.

Of course, neither one of them had known they had met someplace else other than on the train ride to Hogwarts. It had been during a dinner date at Prince Manor during the summer before their 7th year that Sophia Prince had revealed to them this little secret, and the memories had come rushing back to them as if a dam had been broken.

"_Well, it was meant to be, then_," Isabella had said, looking at him from across the dinner table with her special smile—a smile she gave only to him.

Merlin, how he longed to see that smile be sent his way.

"Remus," Isabella finally said, in a whisper.

Remus couldn't hold back any longer. In a few quick steps, he was before her, and in the blink of an eye, he had her enveloped in his arms, pressing her against his body tightly. Tears broke free, finally, running down both their cheeks, and sobs filled the office as they clung to one another, their lives depending on the physical contact.

"I-I am so s-sorry," sobbed Isabella, her hands clutching the fabric of Remus' button-down shirt, her cheek pressed against his chest, above his heart. "I was a fool, I… I should have never done that to you!"

"It doesn't matter," Remus said into her hair, curling his body around her. "It… it doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters!" Isabella exclaimed, leaning away from Remus to look up at his tear stained face. The sight of his bloodshot eyes, damp cheeks, and pink nose was enough to break her heart, and she wailed, apologizes spilling from her lips.

She was sorry for hurting him.

She was sorry for leaving him when he needed her most.

She was sorry for keeping him in the dark.

She was sorry for not giving him a chance.

Taking in a shuddering breath, Remus willed himself to untangle his limbs from Isabella's body. He took a step back, looking down at her as if the sun rose and set in her eyes. To him she could never do any wrong, and she was easily forgiven. It had never been in his nature to hold a grudge, anyways. Isabella was sorry for everything, and that was good enough for him. She was here now, and he was going to make sure that she didn't disappear on him like she had before.

Things would be different this time around, he was sure of it.

"Come," he said softly, extending a hand and motioning towards a small loveseat a few paces away from his desk, "Let's sit down and I'll… I'll make some tea; jasmine with three spoonfuls of sugar—your favorite."

"You remembered?"

"I never forgot."


	28. Forgiveness

Walking through the dark halls of Hogwarts, Talia was cursing herself for going through with Rem– her _father's_ request. She was nervous, her stomach twisting and turning, making her want to vomit. She could have easily disregarded his request and gone back to the common room, but deep down in the pit of her stomach, she knew she'd never be able to live with herself if she did. Father or not, she respected him; he was her favorite professor out of the whole staff (her uncle couldn't even compare). She could see that he genuinely cared for her, and it killed her to even imagine what his face would look like if he spent the night waiting up for her. Talia couldn't do that to him, no matter how much she didn't want to be there.

The D. A. D. A. classroom held a spiral staircase at the back of the room, behind the professor's desk. It led up to an office of a decent size. In the corner of the room was a desk, beside it two large windows that gave way to a perfect view of the Quidditch pitch. Beside each window was a bookcase filled to the brim with old textbooks and random knickknacks. A large fireplace was behind the professor's desk, perfect for Floo travel. On the other side of the room was a small area that had been converted into something that resembled a living room.

There was a small, maroon colored sofa that looked big enough to fit two people comfortably—three if they sat closely together. There on said sofa, Talia caught sight of her father and… mother. They were facing one another, talking quietly.

Talia was startled at first, not expecting her mother to be there, but as she looked at her closely, she realized what a mess the woman looked; guilt tugged at her heartstrings. Sure, Isabella's hair was brushed down and hung in lose curls at her hips, her skin was blemish free, and she was dressed in a lovely forest green dress… but there was something else. Maybe Talia was just making up things for the sake of having an answer, but her mother looked spent. There was a certain bubble around her that Talia could see clear as day—the woman was suffering on the inside, putting up a brave face for the world to see.

"Uh, hey," said Talia softly, almost hesitantly.

Isabella turned her head in her daughter's direction immediately, but Remus hesitated, almost scared to capture her gaze.

"Talia," Isabella said softly, questioningly.

Talia bit her lip, and then motioned to Remus, saying, "He wanted to see me."

"Yes," said Remus, his voice hoarse, finally looking at her, "It's time we had that talk… all of us. C'mon, we'll make room."

Talia nodded, slowly walking towards them.

"So…" trailed off Talia once she was seated between her… parents. _Merlin, I'll have to get used to that._

There was a pregnant pause, before Isabella shifted in her seat and turned to face both Talia and Remus. "What… What would you like to know?"

Talia sighed and looked down at her lap. "I don't know what to say. I can't—I can't believe what you did, but I… well, I don't know. This is hard."

Isabella nodded, staying quiet, but she couldn't help but to let tears trail down her cheeks. It broke Remus' heart, watching Isabella bite her lip to keep from sobbing, her sights set on her daughter.

Talia's hands balled up into fists on her knees, and she kept her head down. She could smell the tears, and the last conversation she had with her mother flashed through her thoughts. She hadn't forgiven her, she had been cold and distant. Her uncle had tried talking with her afterwards, but she had just kept silent. Her pride was holding her back. She knew that her mother's situation could have been handled differently, but at the end of the day, it had all been done for _her_—to protect her. Talia couldn't fault her mother for trying, but it hurt her that her father hadn't been given the chance to be a father.

"Natalia, are you alright?" asked Remus softly, and hesitantly he lifted his arm, placing a hand on Talia's shoulder.

That single touch undid her.

In mere seconds, she had turned to face him, and lunged. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she made her way onto his lap. This was all she had ever wanted, a hug from her father, and the tears fell freely from her eyes.

Remus, startled, stared at Isabella from the top of Talia's head with a look of shock on his face. Isabella just smiled softly, wiping the tears from her cheeks and giving him a nod. It was all Remus needed, and he wrapped his arms around his daughter and held her close. Tears slowly leaked down his cheeks, his heart pounding wildly against his chest as he tightened his hold around Talia, never wanting to let her go. A sob escaped his lips as he knew (and felt in his heart) that Talia accepted him as her father.

"My little girl," he said softly, burying his face in her hair and drinking in her scent, etching it into his head.

"You're my dad," Talia sobbed, "You're my dad!"

"I've got you," he said softly, nuzzling her cheek, "I'm never letting you go."

To that, a sob escaped Isabella, and she quickly raised a hand to cover her mouth as more followed. Talia pulled away from her father shortly to look back at her mother, and offered her a hand. She couldn't say the words, but she hoped that that small gesture would be enough to let her mother know that all was forgiven… that they would be okay.


	29. The First Thread Spun

It was amazing the things that one could make with a simple flick of the wrist—especially if one excelled at transfiguration. A small bed now was in place of a chair, and on the bed slept Talia, curled up in a ball with Isabella's cloak placed over her body as a blanket.

It was astounding how light Remus felt now. Things were looking up for him. He was living in the moment for the first time without a worry or care. It amazed him how _good_ that made him feel, both physically and mentally. He felt year's younger, loads happier—he was a new man. It amazed him how much one person could affect the whole turnabout of his life.

Before Talia, he wouldn't have cared if he was alive today and dead tomorrow. He was a werewolf, which made life harder for him. He was limited to the things he could do, the jobs he could get, the people he could interact with—but now he had Talia. Talia, his sweet little girl, the girl he had to keep fighting for, the girl who didn't care that he was a werewolf—his _daughter_, who he had to protect, love, and provide for. He couldn't give up anymore; he **_wouldn't_** give up.

Full moons be damned.

Gazing down at his sleeping little girl, he studied her features intensely, not wanting to pass up the opportunity that was presenting itself. She looked just like Isabella, with her long, black hair, ivory complexion, pouty lips, and round button nose, but he could see traces of himself there. Talia had the shape of his face, dainty versions of his eyebrows, and the obvious—brilliant azure eyes.

Just looking at her, committing her sleeping face to memory, it made warmth travel through Remus' body; he **made** that. He helped in the creation of life. Never in a million years would he have pictured himself as a father, but now that he was, he couldn't see himself being anything else.

His mood suddenly dropped as the realization that it had all been his fault suddenly hit him. If only he had kept his mouth shut. If only he hadn't been so harsh with Isabella… Maybe things could have been different; maybe the lies could have been prevented. He could have had more kids; Merlin knew he always dreamt of having a big family—his illness made him hesitant but that never stopped him from fantasizing about living in a perfect world where he had his own little house on the countryside, with Isabella as his wife, and three or four little ones running around his legs…

"Remus, are you alright?"

With a quick pivot, Remus now faced Isabella. She stood by his desk, wand in hand idly at her side, her head slightly tilted to the side as she looked at him.

"Yes, I'm fine," he said softly, offering a small smile.

Isabella's eyes narrowed the fraction of an inch, an action that would have gone unnoticed if Remus hadn't known to look for it. He knew her well enough to know all her little quirks, and even though her facial features displayed nothing but a serene expression, he knew better. He knew that she knew that he was lying, but for his sake, she kept quiet, only nodding her head before turning back to his desk.

"Are you _sure_ you still want to do this?" she asked seconds later, her eyes on the large, stone bowl before her.

Remus muttered a quiet 'yes' before studying the bowl placed on the center of his desk. It was made of a fine, smooth, polished white stone. Runes decorated the edge, going around it and swirling downwards. The contents of the bowl looked like water, but weren't really. They glowed and swirled around, the bowl filled to the brim, holding visions of the past. It was a beautiful relic—a Pensieve worthy of Isabella's tastes.

"I'm sure," said Remus, taking his eyes away from the stone bowl to catch Isabella looking at him with slight apprehension.

She hesitated, her grip on her wand tightening, as she said, "It wasn't the happiest of memories…"

Remus' eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he grew concerned. How could the birth of his daughter not be a happy memory?

"Isabella," he started, reaching out and placing a hand on her forearm, "is there something you're not telling me?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," she mumbled, looking down almost in shame.

"Isabella—"

"It's alright," she said quickly, her head rising up, her eyes meeting his. She tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace. "Let me just… Let me show you, and then you'll understand."

All it took was for them to bend down, their faces nearly touching the water, before they were sucked in. It was a simple process really—they were literally diving into a memory… or more like_ falling_…

Both now stood in a room familiar to only one. Isabella knew the room to be her bedroom at Spinner's End. Nothing had really changed much from then until now. The room was of a modest size, with dark furniture and even darker decorations. The color scheme seemed to stay in the gray scale, but splashes of green and the occasional odd one out could be seen. The furniture was all ebony, matching, placed strategically around the room. A large bed on the far wall, the headboard pressing onto the wall, was the biggest piece of furniture the room held. Across from the bed was a fireplace, magical for all intents and purposes, used mostly for Floo rather than warmth.

To Remus, none of the unfamiliar room's decorations mattered. Sure, he had been tickled with curiosity as he found himself standing in an unfamiliar room, but it all became a blur to him as his sights caught onto the bed and the scene playing around it.

"_It's too early_," muttered a heavily pregnant, 21-year-old Isabella as she sat at the foot of the bed, rubbing the top of her stomach while breathing heavily. She was dressed in only her black panties and a pink camisole, her skin glistening with sweat, and her hair up in a messy bun at the top of her head.

Never had Remus seen anything anymore breathtaking than Isabella with her large, protruding stomach, her skin practically glowing and glittering with sweat. The scent that rose from her body was heady and strong, making him take in a deep breath as he allowed the scent to envelop him like a warm blanket. It was her unique scent of lavender, with a hint of petrichor (the latter being new and probably due to the pregnancy), musky and mixing together, swirling into one.

It was a scent that he had smelled once before, many years ago, in the middle of madness—the scent of a pregnant woman.

_If only I hadn't ignored it all those years ago_, Remus thought with a sigh.

The scent was stronger now that Isabella was hours away from giving birth, but it was still the same scent he had detected on the Halloween night of 1981—the night that James and Lily had been taken away from the land of the living. If only he had paid more attention to her then, then maybe he would have noticed the scent change, but so much had been going on at the time that he hadn't even given it a second thought. Now that the war was no longer upon his shoulders, his wolf picked up the scent and he just knew—his wolf _knew _that there was a small life in Isabella's womb, memory or no memory.

"_Yes_," came the voice of a younger Severus, startling Remus out of his musings, "_but there is nothing we can do. If we try to stop the labor, we might cause harm to the child._"

The younger wizard strode into the room from a side door, his arms laden with blankets and towels. His hair was shorter than the Potions Master Remus now taught alongside of, and instead of the black robes Remus was accustom to seeing him in, this younger version of Severus wore a simple button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, black slacks, and on his feet, loafers.

Severus Snape looked rather comfortable and at ease in that outfit, which unnerved Remus. He was used to seeing his fellow colleague in black billowing robes with an air of superiority rolling off his skin, but now, in this setting, this younger Severus looked like any average wizard. It was very humbling to see, Remus admitted to himself.

"Talia came out about a month too soon," spoke up Isabella—the present day Isabella. Remus looked away from her 21-year-old counterpart to give her an inquisitive look, which made her sigh. "According to Severus I was, more or less, two months along when I… _went away. _So Talia would have been conceived in early September."

"That would make her a June baby, more or less," said Remus after a quick calculation.

"An _early_ June baby, if she hadn't of wanted out before she was due," said Isabella with a tiny, wistful smile. "In this time frame, it is currently May the 10th, 1982. Nine months along, surely, but not too many people realize that the full gestation period lasts about ten months."

"_Ten months_… Merlin," said Remus quietly, suddenly going pale.

"It wasn't an easy pregnancy, given her parentage and all, but I didn't have too many complications. It was… _nice_, despite having to be careful on full moons."

Remus looked at Isabella, feeling guilty and ashamed, but she no longer looked at him. Her sights were set on her former self, who was now on the bed, having been helped up by her cousin. What looked like a sea of pillows were surrounding her, propping her up so that she could sit comfortably while being leaned back just enough to allow her to be at ease for the birthing process.

"Severus brewed a few potions to help speed up the labor… it was still a rather long process, though," Isabella informed, and with that said, she raised her arm and waved a hand through the air.

The scene instantly changed.

The scent of blood and sweat was heavy in the air, but now a new scent accompanied it—chocolates. A small smile made its way up onto Remus' face as he realized what this meant.

"_She's gorgeous_," whispered a now rather spent Isabella, holding up to her chest a tiny, squirming bundle wrapped in pale yellow.

Severus, at the foot of the bed, nodded his head. His hands and arms were covered in blood, along with the bed sheets and the towels he'd used. It was a problem easily fixed with a flick of his wand and a softly spoken spell.

"Go on," said Isabella softly, giving Remus a small smile, "you've about twenty minutes before my mother and father come bursting into the room."

Remus gave her a questioning look, but she simply smiled and nodded towards the bed.

With tentative steps, Remus walked forwards until he stood at the edge of the bed. The new mother held her daughter up to her chest, smiling softly. The child was small, _impossibly_ small, with a black tuff of hair peeking out from behind her yellow blanket. A single little arm was outstretched, her tiny fist clenching and unclenching, reaching for nothing. The sight brought tears to Remus' eyes as he watched Isabella and a newly born Talia interact with each other. Soft, sweet nothings were said, with quiet gurgles as a response.

"_You owe me five galleons_," Isabella said suddenly, looking away from her daughter and up to her cousin, who had now moved on to the vanity, where he was inspecting tiny phials of potions.

"_I… am aware of __**that**_," hissed Severus underneath his breath, slowly turning to meet his cousin's teasing gaze.

"We made a bet," informed Isabella from behind Remus, "I said it would be a girl, but Severus was sure that I'd have a little boy."

Remus chuckled quietly, shaking his head, never taking his eyes away from his daughter.

"_I'll let you name her_," offered Isabella, looking back down at her daughter.

"_Natalia_," said Severus without missing a beat.

"_Talia for short,_" said Isabella with a grin, reaching up and tapping the newly christened Talia on the nose.

"Why Natalia?" asked Remus, finally finding the strength to look away from his daughter.

Isabella smiled as she said, "Natalia means: Christ's birthday, more or less—Severus' favorite holiday. Though don't tell anyone, it might _ruin_ his reputation if anyone were to find out how much of a sucker that man is for Christmas."

Remus smiled, never having guessed that. "Her middle name—Marina, was your love of the sea?"

Isabella nodded.

"Natalia Marina Snape," Remus mused quietly, looking back down at his daughter. "It rolls right off the tongue."

"Natalia Marina _Lupin_ rolls right off the tongue as well," mumbled Isabella, looking down at her shoes.

Remus felt his chest tighten, and his heart skip a beat. "Isabella…"

"_Snape_ was just another lie—as you already know. It was to _protect_ her."

Remus still didn't understand. They had talked about this already; Isabella had told him all the truths to her lies, but this, this lie seemed to be heavier than the rest. Something was not right. It wasn't just some story made up so that Talia wouldn't be ridiculed about being the bastard child of a werewolf—no, there was something else, something deeper.

"It's one thing to protect her from ridicule, and I will forever be in Severus' debt because of that," said Remus with conviction. "But… what else are you not telling me?"

"I went to a seer," said Isabella softly, looking away from her shoes and up at Remus, "I was curious about my future, curious about if I'd ever see you again. The seer told me I _would _see you again, he didn't say when but he guaranteed that you'd come back into my life… he also told me _other_ things."

"Isabella, what are you going on about? What did the seer say to you?"

Isabella hesitated, before quietly saying the words that had haunted her for various years. "_Darkness will come. Blood will no longer be blood. To protect the child, a web must be spun._"

Remus narrowed his eyes, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he took in what Isabella had said. Already he was coming up with various answers for what this prophesy could mean, and each answer made his skin lose its pallor.

"Isabella, please tell me this is not what I think it is," he said softly, his eyes pleading.

"I… I'm—I'm sorry," Isabella said, making Remus take a sharp intake of air. "The war is **_far_** from over. Talia… her parentage puts her in danger and it—it _needs_ to be kept secret. I _need_ to protect her; I _need_ to keep lying. It's the only way."

Remus could feel his hands shaking, his chest tightening, his temples throbbing. The weight he had been carrying around for years, the weight he had _just_ gotten rid of, was back, crashing onto his shoulders like boulders. He almost sank to his knees if not for the gentle hand that found its way onto his cheek, directing his sights to stare into brilliant pools of honey. Isabella stood before him, tears glistening in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close.

"I'm sorry," she whispered against his ear, taking in a deep breath.

"Not as sorry as I am," said Remus into her hair, his body shaking as tears slid down his cheeks.

There was a sudden burst of bright, emerald green light from the fireplace across from the bed. Out from the green flames stepped Sophia Prince, her body clad in the standard issued lime green healer robes of St. Mungo's, the golden pin on her left breast being the only thing that made it known to others that she was Healer-In-Charge. Following her was Elijah Prince, sporting his usual dark green robes, but looking a little worse for wear. Being an Auror, no doubt he had just recently gotten out of a mission.

The two looked positively livid.

"This is where it get's nasty," whispered Isabella, her arms still around Remus as they turned their entwined bodies to observe the scene that was about to play out before them.

The two cousins looked shocked, Isabella more so than Severus. She brought Talia closer to her chest, and Severus took a few steps towards the bed.

"_So it's true,_" said Elijah with a slight scowl, looking from his daughter to his nephew to the little bundle in his daughter's arms. "_You were pregnant, and you __**hid**__ this from us!_"

"_Isabella, what is the meaning of this?_" Sophia hissed, her clear eyes narrowing.

The new mother was at a loss for words, so Severus decided to speak, asking what he knew his cousin was dying to know. "_How did__** you **__find out about this?_"

"_Dumbledore_," spat Elijah. "_We both received owls __**congratulating **__us on becoming grandparents._"

"_And you can imagine the surprise of finding this out after we haven't seen hide nor hair of you for the past year!_" exclaimed Sophia, her voice managing to make Talia jolt up in her mother's arms, giving out a small, startled cry.

"_Where is Remus?_" said Elijah suddenly, looking around the room, "_this is his child, correct?_"

"**_Wrong,_**" drawled Severus quickly before Isabella could breathe a word, "_the child is __**mine**__._"

"_Yours?_" asked Sophia incredulously, "_But the two of you are—_"

"_I know what we are, but it isn't something unheard of_," said Severus quickly.

Elijah scoffed. "_Do you really think we will believe such—_"

"_It's true,_" said Isabella, stopping all conversation in the room, "_Severus is the father. Remus is… he's not part of this picture any longer—hasn't been for some time now. The war was too much for us..._"

"The first thread spun," Remus heard Isabella say quietly as she stepped away from him. He shuddered.

"I've seen enough, take us back," he said, and just like that, they were back in Hogwarts, back in his office. Talia was awake now, sitting on the center of her small transfigured-bed, Brutus on her lap.

Isabella's cloak was draped over her shoulders.

"Where did you two go?" Talia asked curiously, absentmindedly running her hand down Brutus back. "Wait, let me rephrase that—what did you two_ see_?"

"We went to see your birth," answered Isabella quickly, hiding all previous emotions, her face turning into a serene mask.

"Eugh," grunted Talia, crinkling her nose. She then quickly looked up at her father, and said, "I had Widget—that's our house elf, bring me Brutus. I hope you don't mind. I got somewhat lonely when I woke up and found the office empty. I thought you two had ditched me until I saw mum's Pensieve on the desk."

Remus followed Isabella's lead and wiped his face clean of all true emotions, his lips curling up into a small smile as he said, "That's alright, sweetheart."

"C'mon Talia, it's late, let's get you back to your dormitory."

"I'll escort you," said Remus quickly.

* * *

><p><strong>Fun fact:<strong> Isabella's birthday is on August 13th, 1960.  
>This makes her 21-years-old at the time of Talia's birth.<p> 


	30. Werewolf

The days flew by without a hitch—_well_… there was one thing that put a damper on things.

Life for once was going great for Talia. The relationship between her and her father had blossomed and bloomed into something natural. It was almost as if he hadn't been gone all those years, as if he had been right there by her side all along, guiding her and caring for her as any father should. She got along swimmingly with him, and often times she'd sneak into his office on late afternoons (when she knew she wouldn't be missed), for a chat or to just be in his presence. She was making up for lost time, after all. They had their awkward moments as any father and daughter would, when silence would fill the room and they would just stare at each other not knowing what to say, but they had gotten to the point of words needn't be spoken, and would just laugh it off and move on to the next topic.

Things with her mother had been going nicely as well. The older woman no longer lied to her, and explained everything that Talia wanted to know with an honest answer. Still, there were _some_ things that Isabella refused to talk about, and would reply with the dreaded, "I'll tell you when you're older." It bothered Talia that her mother still seemed secretive about certain things, and wasn't trusting enough, but compared to how she was before, it was a _huge_ improvement. Talia appreciated her mother's efforts.

Talia now had the solidarity she wanted in her life, and didn't live in doubt.

Her family life was, well—complete. She had her mother, her father, her Uncle Sirius (which she had promised she'd tell no one about), and even her Uncle Sev was included into the group. Severus had been informed by his cousin of the major recent events in Talia's life, and he had given Talia a tiny, hardly noticeable smile once he'd gotten the chance to see and talk to her outside of the classroom. The smile looked misplaced on his usually scowling face, but it was genuine, and it made Talia smile at him in return before giving him a hug. No words were needed, it was a matter of looks and facial expressions, as things usually were when dealing with the elusive Severus Snape.

Now, back to that hitch that ruined things…

Talia had been made to swear (by all **three** of her parental units) that she would not breathe a word about her parentage to anyone—even Draco—**_especially_** Draco. Both her parents and Severus had told her that it was just one of those things that could not be known, and it had started the whole, "I'll tell you when you're older," spiel from her mother. It was no mystery though, why Isabella, Remus, and Severus wanted Talia to keep quiet about this new development—Talia had figured it out after thinking about it for a few seconds, and went to her father to confirm her suspicions. With a heavy heart Remus had told her that she was right on the nail—the Malfoy's were not kind to those who they deemed impure.

Talia was a half-blood in the eyes of the Malfoy's, and that was how things were going to stay. It was good enough.

* * *

><p>It was the day after November's first full moon, and Talia was curled up on the sofa by the fireplace in the Slytherin common room. The night before she had taken her monthly <em>vitamins<em>, which she now knew was actually Wolfsbane, and yet she still felt horrible. The Wolfsbane, as always, had taken a bit of the edge off from the effects of the full moon, but it still wasn't enough. She felt weak and sore, and had resorted to eating chocolates to keep herself awake during her morning lectures.

She was currently on her ninth chocolate bar in the span of three hours.

"Leave it up to that filthy so-called professor to not show up today," the disembodied voice of Draco said as the common room's entrance opened.

Talia quirked up an eyebrow, turning her head in the direction of the common's stone entrance. A slew of third years came walking through the archway, the entrance closing and the stones sliding into place to create a wall behind them as the last third year waltzed through. Draco was at the head of the group, the ever loyal Crabbe and Goyle at either side of him, Pansy behind them like the faithful little pug-faced bitch that sh—

"What's with all the chocolate?" Talia's dark train of thought was interrupted as Draco plopped himself on the sofa beside her, Crabbe and Goyle taking up an armchair on either side, and Pansy taking the empty spot on the other side of Draco on the sofa.

"Hungry," said Talia to Draco, finishing her chocolate bar—ten down, two more to go.

"Do you have another one of those?" asked Crabbe, noticing the pile of wrappers on Talia's lap.

_Damn it,_ Talia thought, but nodded nonetheless, reaching into her pocket and producing a small, purple sac that contained the golden-wrapped cocoa treats her father had given her. She broke the chocolate bar into two halves, giving one to Crabbe, and offering the other to Goyle, who accepted it with a small nod.

Offering some chocolate to Pansy never crossed Talia's mind.

One more chocolate to—

"Do you happen to have another one?"

**_BY MERLIN'S RAVENS!_**

"Why _yes_, I do," said Talia to Draco, giving him a sickeningly sweet smile before continuing with, "but it is **mine,** so _sorry_."

It was silent for a moment; Crabbe and Goyle exchanging looks from their respective armchairs (munching away on their chocolates), while Pansy glared at Talia in disbelief as if she'd just slapped Salazar Slytherin himself. **No one** denied Draco Malfoy what he wanted, and they all knew that. The air grew tense as the silence stretched on, the three waiting for Draco to snap, as he should, but Draco defied their expectations by rolling his eyes and swatting Talia's knee playfully.

"Cheeky little pig," he simply remarked, letting out a content chuckle when Talia hit his arm in retaliation.

"I _was_ going to give you some chocolate, but since you called me a pig—I don't think so."

"Oh please," Draco scoffed.

Talia simply shrugged her shoulders before slyly moving the conversation to the topic she wanted. "So, what had your knickers in a twist when you walked in?"

Draco's ears burned red at the tease, but he kept a stoic expression on his face as he replied with, "Your father substituted for Defense—"

"Again," blurted out Crabbe with an air of annoyance. "Lupin spends more time out than he does in the classroom."

"It doesn't mean anything, I'm sure, I mean—have you _looked_ at Professor Lupin," continued Talia, trying to direct the conversation into a different direction. Her plan had backfired, and she was now treading on shallow waters. The last thing she wanted was for them to look into her father's absences. If they did, and figured out that he was absent on the days that coincided with a full moon, then there was nothing she'd be able to do. It would be obvious from there on out. The full moon only really affected one creature, and everyone who had a brain could figure it out.

Talia was surprised Draco hadn't called her out, actually. With how many times she was "sick" when the full moon rolled by...

"The man is always sick," said Pansy with disgust, "I'm surprised no one has caught anything yet."

Talia wanted to say something (or more like pounce and attack), but she needed to keep up with her act. Her father's secret came first, and she'd protect it with everything she had, even if it meant exposing herself to deflect the attention from him.

"There is one benefit to having Lupin teach us, though," said Goyle with a sigh, leaning back on the armchair.

"And that would be?" asked Talia curiously, scrutinizing Goyle.

"Hardly any homework," said Goyle with a lazy smile. "Sure, he makes us read more… and write more notes… and do more wand work, but it beats the boat load of papers Snape is making us write."

"What are you lot writing about?" asked Talia, "dad gave the first years bookwork, so all I've gotta do is take notes and write an essay on a chapter about the origin of hexes and curses."

"You've got it easy," groaned Draco, "we've gotta turn in about five feet of parchment on werewolves with an emphasis on identifying them in their human form."

Talia nearly choked on her spit, but covered it up by clearing her throat.

"Werewolves?" she asked, her voice having gone up an octave, but no one seemed too noticed.

"Yeah," said Draco with a shrug, but then he laughed, turning to Talia. "Remember when I teased you about being a werewolf? You got so mad…"

_Oh, bloody hell._


	31. The Little Spy

To say that Talia was happy was like saying that Draco loved muggle-borns. It was just… **_No_**.

On her day off from lectures, Talia found herself sitting in the library with Hermione. To anyone not knowing what was **_really_** going on, it would have looked like two girls studying for their classes and working on their schoolwork, but it was far from that. Talia was acting as a spy, for lack of a better term. She needed information, information she could not (and _would_ not) get from Draco and the three stooges that always followed him around. She didn't want him or the other three to become suspicious, so she went with the next best thing—Hermione. Yes, Hermione was sharp, but she was also a friend, and not as suspicious when being questioned, as any Slytherin would be. To her, Talia's questions about the third year Defense class were seen as pure, innocent curiosity—a learning experience, even. There was _nothing_ to be suspicious about since Talia _always_ asked questions.

Hermione was like the big sister Talia never had, and liked to act as such.

According to Hermione, _Professor_ Snape had skipped nearly every chapter in the third year textbook to get to the last few sections, which focused on dark, mythical creatures. It was a chapter that would have naturally been started later on in the term if Severus hadn't of made up his own teaching agenda. It left Talia confused, and she wanted to go to her Uncle and ask why he was suddenly putting werewolves in the limelight, even going as far as teaching students on how to identify them, but she kept quiet. There was always a reason for everything that her Uncle did, Talia just needed to figure out what it was. Alternatively, she would have gone to her father, but Remus had scarcely been seen since the full moon, and Talia knew to give him his space so that he could recover properly.

"Bloody hell," a familiar voice muttered in frustration, startling Hermione and Talia from their studies. "Why did that slimy git have to assign us _this_?"

"I don't know, but might as well get it over with, yeah?"

"He's behind us—Ron, isn't he?" Hermione whispered, setting her quill on the tabletop, head down and eyes glued to her paper.

Talia shifted in her seat, turning around the fraction of an inch, as if she were scratching her chin with her shoulder. Her eyes quickly swept the narrow isle that she and Hermione were stationed at, but the only thing she caught sight of was books and more books. However, she could smell Ron, and Harry. They were close by, probably one isle over, or maybe they had been passing by, but their scent was there, albeit fading quickly.

"He's so immature," Hermione spat angrily, making sure to keep her voice low. "It's not Crookshanks' fault that his bloody rat ran away."

"Honestly, Hermione," Talia said with a teasing smile, "we all saw how Crookshanks' simply hated that—"

"Don't you dare," snapped Hermione, brown eyes narrowed. "Crookshanks wouldn't."

Talia chuckled softly, shaking her head before turning to look at the lone piece of parchment in front of her. She had a few lines for Herbology that she needed to write, but it was so boring to have to write about mandrakes and their uses. Instead, she placed her elbows on the tabletop, letting her eyes scan the mountain of books Hermione had piled around them. So many titles, all centered around werewolves… It made Talia slightly nervous. The previous book on werewolves she'd managed to smuggle out of the library needed to be returned, and she had done so, only so that suspicion wouldn't arise. If it were up to her, she would have kept the book for her own personal library. It was very informative, but she hadn't managed to finish reading it.

"Pass me that book there," said Talia as she pointed to a thick blue book with a golden crescent moon on the cover. "It looks interesting."

"You're supposed to be writing about mandrakes. If you keep procrastinating you'll fall behind," chided Hermione, but nonetheless, she picked up the book that Talia had pointed at, handing it to her without a second thought.

"What's so fun about mandrakes?" said Talia with a roll of the eyes, "it's mainly a root, it looks like a baby, and it cries louder than Draco."

Hermione was silent for a moment, staring at Talia in shock, before she burst into a fit of giggles.

"Shh!" hissed Talia loudly, a silly smile on her face, "they'll throw us out."

"Okay, okay," said Hermione with a smile. "But seriously though, you should be writing that essay on mandrakes."

"I shall do so after reading this thing," said Talia, holding the blue book up and waving a hand over it as if she were displaying it.

"Right," said Hermione with a chuckle. "I suggest turning to page 457, it's rather interesting. It has a very detailed passage about identifying a werewolf, among other weird things. You could learn something, you know, for when you become a third year and have to do this."

"That is if I don't forget," Talia muttered loud enough for Hermione to hear, earning a laugh and a light swat on the arm from said friend.

Opening the book to a random page (pg. 467), Talia began the process of skimming through paragraphs before flipping to a different page, looking for something that would catch her eye. This went on for several pages before she stopped abruptly on pg. 480, coming across the picture of a werewolf feeding a small, human child. It was a crudely drawn picture, with a caption underneath.

"**FEMALE WEREWOLF FEEDING YOUNG DURING THE FULL MOON."**

It was something that instantly sparked Talia's interest, and so she leaned back in her chair, making herself comfortable before she began to read.

_The product of crossbreeding a human with a being of a different genus, in this case the werewolf, is known as a hybrid—hybrid being the fusion of two mixed species. The hybrid would be born human, although there is a fifty percent chance that the werewolf gene will be transferred. There have been documented cases where a hybrid is born without any trait that would link it to its werewolf parent, and although many people speculate that this is because of the mix in breed—_

The scent of chocolates muddled Talia's senses, making her pause in her reading. It had been a few days since she'd last smelled that scent, and she found herself surprised that she had missed it dearly.

"Natalia, Hermione, what a pleasant surprise."

Talia turned in her seat quickly, a smile on her face as she looked up. She was about to greet her father, but stopped as she noticed how horrible he looked. He was paler than usual; his blue eyes were lacking their usual warmth. Scratches adorned his face and neck (scratches that would soon turn into scars), and his hair was messily combed to the side in an obvious lazy attempt to tame it. He also had a cane in his left hand, leaning most of his weight onto it.

"Professor Lupin—sir," Hermione gasped, staring at her Defense professor with her mouth agape. "Are you alright?"

Remus chuckled despite the slight pain in his chest and smiled down at Hermione, looking pointedly at Talia as he said, "I guess you could say it was one of **_those_** days."

Talia, not being able to form a proper sentence, merely stared.

"So, tell me girls, what's this I hear about students working on an essay concerning werewolves?" he asked casually, not seeming bothered by the fact that Severus had literally given the entire 3rd year class a handbook on how to seek him (and by association Talia) out.

"Well, basically, Professor Snape assigned us an essay on the recognition and means of defeat of a werewolf," Hermione informed, quickly adding in, "with an emphasis on identifying a werewolf in its human form."

"Really now," Remus mused, the only sign of concern on his face being his eyebrows rising up in surprise. "And how is that coming along?"

"Good, sir," Hermione replied curtly, "though I don't see why you would have told Professor Snape to lecture us on a chapter that isn't due to be learned until later on in the term… if you don't mind me saying."

Remus smiled, sparing a glance at Hermione's parchment before saying softly, "That is because I did not tell him to do such a thing. As you've just pointed out, our chapter on werewolves isn't due until much later in the term. Perhaps Professor Snape misplaced the notes I left for him. Nevertheless, fear not. I'm turning that assignment into extra credit."

Hermione sighed and felt like hitting her head against the desk. All that work, and for it to be extra credit…? Well, at least it would go towards her grade, and when the class _would _reach that section in the book, she would be prepared! _I'll just finish this up and read a bit more on it, to make sure I don't forget anything when that time comes._

Talia, not having been able to look at her father without tearing up, had gone back to reading the blue book. The sight of Remus, bruised and broken, sent a painful jolt through her chest. It also made her guilty. She had gotten off easy, so easy…

_Since the hybrid is born human, whether they change under the moon light or simply inherit traits is up for debate. One cannot simply know if the child will go through the transformation based on appearance alone. If the child does in fact go through with a transformation during the full moon, it is based on various different factors. Blood is a main component when it comes to hybrids staying human or turning into—_

"Natalia?"

Talia stopped reading, blinking for a moment before turning her head up to look into matching blue eyes.

"Yes, Professor?"

"You looked quiet enthralled in your reading that I didn't want to point out the fact that Hermione has left."

It was then that Talia realized how quiet it was, despite it being a library. She didn't hear the scratching of Hermione's quill on her parchment, nor did she hear the flutter of pages as Hermione would riffle through the books she'd pulled off the shelves. She couldn't even properly smell her anymore. Hermione's flowery perfume was but a whisper in the air, fading quickly.

"Where'd she go?" Talia asked confused. "I didn't even hear her get up."

"She was muttering something about a rat," Remus informed with a confused look of his own, "and then she headed off to return a book one isle over. I think she may have gone over to talk to Ron and Harry, since I saw them in the isle while making my way over here."

Talia quirked an eyebrow before letting out a small chuckle; her father looked down at her confused. "Hermione hasn't gotten on with Ron (and Harry, since Ron pulled him to his side) for a while now. Ron swears that Hermione's cat ate his rat."

"That makes sense, I suppose," mumbled Remus, before his eyes got a certain look. "How about you write Hermione a note and we take off for the Blake Lake? Tell her that I came by to fetch you at Dumbledore's request."

Talia thought for a moment before nodding her head, but then she furrowed her eyebrows. "That sounds plausible… but Hermione will want to know what this _request_ is."

"Say that… your mother was passing through and decided to visit. It's not unheard of, parents visiting on a student's off-days, you know."

"That works," Talia said with a small smile, quickly grabbing a piece of parchment from her bag and scribbling the note down with the quill Hermione had left behind.

"Oh, and bring that book."

"Why?"

"You looked to be enjoying it."

Talia looked at him skeptically, but reluctantly nodded. That look he was giving her was mischievous—he was up to something, she could feel it. "Don't I have to check it out first?"

"I'll personally return it back to Madame Pince so that she doesn't give you any trouble," Remus said, offering Talia a genuine smile before escorting her out of the library. He kept a protective hand on the small of her back as he hobbled at a slow pace, his cane tapping the stone ground and echoing lightly throughout the halls.

_She is going to be very surprised_, Remus thought to himself, grinning softly.

He had sent a letter to Isabella, sometime in the morning. It was a simple request, and Remus was surprised with how soon she'd replied. She was due at the Black Lake any minute now, and hopefully she'd follow the directions he had left for her. Just the thought of his little scheme was making him giddy with excitement. It was a nice change from how horrible he'd felt these past few days, and he was very much looking forward to surprising his daughter.


	32. Padfoot, Mooney, and Luna

**Pg. 457 - **_A werewolf in its human form has distinct traits that distinguish it from being a beast or human. Physically, it is said that the person affected is likely to have a thick head of hair, fuller than the average human has, and also darker in some cases; eyes that change their pigmentation drastically, disproportionate limbs, vast amounts of facial (and body) hair, and pale skin. It is said that a werewolf in its human form will tend to have a change in things that they prefer nearing the full moon, or even in the way that they act. An appetite for raw meat and heightened senses are among a few of the various things on record concerning this other method of identification…_

**Pg. 480 - **_The product of crossbreeding a human with a being of a different genus, in this case the werewolf, is known as a hybrid—hybrid being the fusion of two mixed species. The hybrid would be born human, although there is a fifty percent chance that the werewolf gene will be transferred. There have been documented cases where a hybrid is born without any trait that would link it to its werewolf parent, and although many people speculate that this is because of the mix in breed, nothing is certain, as there are not many children on file to make a legitimate calculation…_

**Pg. 483 - **_Hybrids would be placed under the category of Half-Breeds…_

**Pg. 485 - **_… seizures, aggression, possessiveness, an unexplained urge to chew on anything, changes in sight, hearing, and smell, violent mood swings, sleepiness, achy muscles, and a change in eye color, are among the common changes that a hybrid [or werewolf] can experience. Not all products of crossbreeding are the same; therefore, some of the information above is still up for debate…_

**Pg. 494 - **_… whether they change under the moon light or simply inherit traits is up for debate. One cannot simply know if the child will go through the transformation based on appearance alone. If the child does in fact go through with a transformation during the full moon, it is based on various different factors. Blood is a main component when it comes to hybrids staying human or turning into their werewolf counterparts. The next would have to be that they need to be willing to embrace their inner self—it depends on physical, emotional, and mental strength. This is where animagi come in. A werewolf—_

"Natalia?"

Talia looked up from her book reluctantly, shifting on the log she currently sat on to get comfortable. One single eyebrow was all she raised as she looked up to her father, who stood before her. He was leaning casually on his cane, a tired yet happy expression on his face. It made her wonder what kept him going. He was a broken man, but he was getting along fine—brilliantly, she'd go as far too say. She envied that. He was so strong; nothing seemed to bring him down, not even the full moon.

"I've finally gotten your attention," he said teasingly, peering down his nose to see which page Talia was reading. "Mind sharing that book with your old man?"

Talia gave him a skeptic look, cocking her head to the side—but then she realized what he'd just said. "You're not _that_ old… wait, what year were you born in?"

"1960, just like your mother."

"So that would make you… thirty three—_thirty three!?_ Whoa—mum's going to turn thirty three!"

Remus let out a loud, bark of a laugh, before sitting down beside his daughter. "You're only eleven; everyone is ancient in your eyes."

"Not true," Talia protested, chuckling softly. "Anyways, we've been here in silence for the past few minutes—any particular reason why you wanted to go to the Black Lake?"

"I needed to get you away from the castle," Remus replied simply, his face revealing nothing.

"And?" Talia pressed on, nudging his upper arm with her shoulder.

"So, that book you've got—"

"Dad!" Talia exclaimed, a smile on her face as she looked up at him.

Remus just grinned and looked out toward the Black Lake. _I'll never tire of hearing that._

"All in due time, Natalia—now, that book; what exactly have you read from it," he questioned, looking down at her.

"Uh…" Talia hesitated, looking down at the blue book on her lap—then it clicked. "Me. I read about _me_. That's why you wanted me to bring it along, isn't it?"

Remus nodded, taking the book from her lap and opening it to somewhere past the middle. "I read this book a while ago, it's very informative. It… helped me, when I found out you were mine."

"Helped you?" asked Talia curiously, her head tilted to the side. She did not miss the quick flash of sadness in his eyes as he'd said that the book had helped him when he'd found out she was his, and it made her curious.

Her mother had told her, via a letter, that her father was delicate when it came to the topic of children. He was scared, and felt guilty. What she couldn't understand was how strong he appeared to be when in her presence. He wore a mask most of the time, and she had noticed. There were moments when he'd look at her and she would see guilt flash briefly in his eyes, but then he'd smile, and go on as if nothing had happened.

"It told me what to expect," her father replied quietly.

"Oh," mumbled Talia, feeling saddened.

"Anyways," said Remus quickly, a smile on his face, "What page were you on?"

He was doing it again, hiding behind his mask, but Talia said nothing and replied with, "494—I was just getting to the part about animagi."

"Right," Remus said softly, flipping the pages in the book until he landed on page 494, and began reading aloud.

"_A werewolf is not an animagus, though the information above has brought on a large debate in the Wizarding World. Although no recorded data has been acquired, there is speculation that a hybrid who does not transform during the full moon can possess the ability to easily—"_

"That's where the whole, _becoming_ an animagus thing comes in," Talia interrupted her father, watching as he nodded his head and shut the book. "It's got to do with that whole bit about believing in your inner self and stuff, right?"

"In a way," Remus said skeptically. "Some say that it quickens the process of turning into an animagus since there is already an animalistic part of you, but there are no known hybrids that have done so."

"Would I be able to do that?" Talia asked with a twinkle in her eyes, "You know, turn into an animagus if I thought _really_ hard on it? I could be the first!"

Remus shook his head, letting out a small chuckle. "It doesn't really work like that. To become an animagus—it takes time, years for some. It is not something that you can learn overnight or do so by thinking _hard_ on it. It is an ability that must be learned."

Talia was quiet for a moment, letting the information sink in. She didn't know much about animagi, only what the book had told her and what her father had just explained, along with the tidbits her mother had revealed about herself throughout the years, but it made her excited nevertheless.

Since she was a hybrid who did not transform under the full moon, the book said that it would be easier for her to become an Animagus. The animalistic side that was already there, inside her, would aid her should she ever decided to become one. The prospect of that sounded utterly _cool!_

"What would my… animal be?" Talia asked, turning to face her father. "Would I be a werewolf? You know, since I've got that part already in me."

"No, you would not," said Remus with a shudder. That was the last thing he wanted to hear, let alone talk about. The thought of his daughter transforming into a werewolf scared him shitless. "This is not why I brought you here, Natalia."

"What?" asked Talia confused, "Does this have to do with getting me away from the castle?"

Remus nodded.

"Does this have anything to do with the book?"

"No, I did not expect you to have the book in your possession when I sought you out. That was a coincidence, actually, but it worked in your favor, did it not? You got to read more of it, and learned a thing or two about animagi."

"True," mused Talia, "Although, I still think if I thought really hard—"

"Natalia."

"Alright!" Talia exclaimed, giggling at the stern look that her father was giving her. "So… you wanted me away from the castle _because_…?"

"Call out Snuffles… and Lola."

Talia quirked an eyebrow—that look was back on her father's face, that mischievous look that made her think he was up to something. "Dare I ask what a Snuffles and Lola are?"

"You'll see," he said with a smile.

Talia rolled her eyes, though called out into the air, "**SNUFFLES… LOLA!**"

Remus chuckled, not having expected Talia to go through with his request so flippantly.

"What am I even calling for?" asked Talia with a quizzical look, searching the forest that surrounded them. She suddenly got a huge smile on her face as she asked, "Are those the names of unicorns? Did you buy me a _unicorn!_ **I LOVE UNICORNS**!"

Remus couldn't help the large smile and laugh that escaped him. He wrapped an arm around Talia, pulling her close. "No, not unicorns. They are very hard to find, and very few exist today. To keep them in captivity would be a shame."

Talia sighed, leaning into her father's side. "Well, are Snuffles and Lola some kind of—_wait_, do you smell that?"

The scent of lavender, petrichor, musk, wet dog, and spice, came wafting through the air, being carried by a breeze. It made Talia's nose twitch, and a small smirk settle on Remus' lips as he dropped his arm from around his daughter's shoulders.

"Unicorns? Unicorns! I am not a fuc— OWE!"

"Mind your language, _Snuffles._"

"Oh sod off, _Lola_."

Talia stood from the log she shared with her father, turning around sharply to be greeted by the faces of her mother and Sirius, both smiling widely as they walked towards her, having come from the edge of the tree line. There was a box of chocolates under Sirius arm, and on the crook of Isabella's elbow was a small basket.

Remus smiled as he watched Talia jump over the log as best as she could before tackling Sirius to the ground. Sirius hit the ground with an audible thump, a slew of curses leaving his mouth as he complained about having landed on a rock. The box of chocolates had opened and gone flying with the impact; tiny chocolate candies flying everywhere as the box itself landed somewhere near the shore of the Black Lake. It was obvious to those present that Talia did not care about the chocolates. She stayed in place, which was atop Sirius' chest; a large smile on her face… which quickly changed to a glare as she grabbed the front of his tattered robes and began to shake him.

"**WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!? I THOUGHT YOU DEAD!**"

"Her mother's daughter, that one," Remus commented teasingly, earning a roll of the eyes from Isabella as she walked towards him, taking a seat on the log beside him.

"If memory serves me right, I do remember you reacting just the same when I had left for the bathroom during—"

"_No_," Remus cut in quickly, his eyes narrowing, "I didn't say that. Besides, you had told me that you were going to the loo, and then disappeared for **five** hours!"

"Need I remind you that it happened on the day of your _surprise_ birthday, you troll," Isabella said with a roll of the eyes. "I had to make up an excuse—a poor one, yes, but it was an excuse nonetheless, and then you come looking for me and ruined your surprise when you burst into the common room yelling: _Isabella, where have you been? I thought you dead! I thought you'd fallen down the toilet!_"

"I did not say that!"

"Yeah, you did," said the voice of Sirius as he came around the bend, Talia perched on his back. "Then you freaked out when people came out of their hiding places. You thought it a conspiracy against your person."

"Really?" asked Talia curiously from over Sirius' shoulder.

"No, I did not think it a con—"

"No, not that!" Talia laughed, "I was talking about you thinking mum fell down the toilet!"

Remus turned beet red, sighing as he hung his head. "I panicked…"

Talia and Sirius burst into a fit of uncontrollable, loud, obnoxious laughter, Sirius almost dropping Talia as he leaned backwards and hugged his stomach. It made Isabella roll her eyes in annoyance and slight embarrassment.

"Hush up," Isabella snapped, setting the basket down by her feet. "Talia, no teasing your father; Sirius, don't even get me started."

"Yes mother," both Sirius and Talia said at the same time. Talia had meant it in earnest, Sirius on the other had been sarcastic. In the end, the two ended up giggling, which caused Isabella to roll her eyes for what seemed like the millionth time.

"Honestly, you two…" she trailed off, letting out a sigh and a shake of the head.

* * *

><p>The sun was slowly setting, traveling across the sky with night quick on its heels. The log, which had previously been used as a bench, had now been transfigured into a brown, firm sofa. There sat Isabella and Remus, watching their daughter play with Sirius. The little dark-haired girl alternated between throwing rocks at the older man, and trying to push him into the lake, which she had only managed once. Sirius in turn dodged the rocks thrown at him by ducking and occasionally turning into his animagus, where he would then charge at Talia, making her squeal and run off in the opposite direction.<p>

"I swear," Sirius hissed, walking away from a pouting Talia to sit at Isabella and Remus' feet, "if that pup of yours hits me with a rock one more time…"

"She's only teasing," Remus chuckled, looking down at his friend.

"Teasing my arse," Sirius mumbled, earning himself a swat behind the head from Isabella.

"You deserve every rock she throws at you," said Isabella with a slight glare. "Those chocolates cost me a near fortune! Thankfully I had half a mind to bring back up," and to that, she was referring to the little basket that she had brought with her, which she'd filled with a light lunch that had already been distributed and eaten throughout the afternoon.

"How was I supposed to know that she was going to jump me?" Sirius defended himself. "'Sides, I bet if you pick 'em up off the ground, maybe dust 'em off a bit—"

"Sirius, my good friend, just stop talking," Remus said with a chuckle, making Sirius snort indignantly.

"You can still eat them, you know," Sirius went on, "just take your wand out and give them a good zapping."

"Then we risk the chance of melting them. Those chocolates were very temperamental," informed Isabella.

"They were just chocolates!" exclaimed Sirius, flailing his arms.

"No they were—"

"Lola," Remus said, causing Isabella to shut up.

"Damn that name," Isabella mumbled.

"Why do you even **have** that name?" said the voice of Talia, who now stood before the three, watching them curiously.

"Story time?" suggested Sirius, turning his head around to look up at Isabella and Remus.

"Sure," said Isabella, "C'mon Talia, sit down and we can begin."

Talia grinned, quickly making her way to the sofa to take the empty space between her parents. Moments like these, were her little dysfunctional family was all together, were precious to her. She liked to imagine that her mother and father were married, that they were normal, that this was how things were supposed to be. It had never hurt her to dream, and dream she did. She just wanted to be happy, to not have to lie and hide, to be able to proudly say that her father was Remus Lupin—but she knew she couldn't. She couldn't risk it.

"Alright," said Isabella, wrapping an arm around her daughter, "your Uncle Sirius was a fan of giving people nicknames—"

"Came up with Mooney, Padfoot, and Prongs," Sirius said proudly.

Both Remus and Isabella took notice on how he did not mention Peter's nickname, but chose to ignore it.

"Anyways," said Isabella, "because your father and I were… well, because we were together at the time, I was given the nickname Luna—"

"Went with Mooney," Sirius butt in, earning himself a kick in the back.

"_Anyways_," hissed Isabella, an obvious blush on her cheeks, "my animagus is a wolf, so Luna worked both ways."

"Luna is Latin for moon…," mused Talia, before smiling and exclaiming, "_oh_, I get it now!"

"Yes," Isabella chuckled. "Now, Lola was a bit of a… random one. Sirius, you can take over now."

"Finally!" the man exclaimed, turning on the ground so that he faced the three on the sofa. "Alright, we're animagi, and we happen to be dogs (okay technically your mother is a wolf but still), and every good canine needs a name."

"So you came up with Snuffles and Lola," asked Talia incredulously, arching an eyebrow, looking very much like an unimpressed version of her mother.

"More or less," said Sirius with a smirk.

"He took advantage of the fact that he was a dog to _woo_ the ladies," said Remus with a soft chuckle.

"He took advantage of the fact that **_I _**was a dog—a wolf, to woo the ladies," said Isabella with a roll of the eyes.

"You _do_ have a lovely pelt," muttered Remus casually, causing Isabella to blush hard.

Talia arched an eyebrow. She had seen the look in her father's eye as he looked at her mother, and how her mother's face was now bordering on becoming a tomato. The two still had feelings for each other, but they were doing nothing about it.

**_Note to self:_**_ Monitor mum and dad's… feelings_, thought Talia with a small shudder. She wanted them to be together, to be a proper family, but it was just awkward to think about them like that. She was only eleven after all.

"So, why did you do it if it obviously bothers you?" she asked her mother, clearing away thoughts of her parents being intimate from her head.

"I owed it to Sirius, really," Isabella said with a sigh, "if it wasn't for him and the others, I wouldn't have been able to become an animagus as quickly as I did. It would have taken me years that we didn't have."

"Why did you become an animagus," Talia asked, intrigued. It was something her mother never talked about, and the fact that her mother was being so truthful made her want to hug her tightly.

Isabella and Remus exchanged looks, and then a small, almost shy smile settled itself on Isabella's lips as she nearly whispered, "For your father, because… he needed me."

Tala arched an eyebrow, looking from her mother to her father. She could almost feel the love rolling off them in waves, and it was making her queasy.

"I'll take over from here," said Remus, placing a hand on Talia's knee. "Now you see, with me being a werewolf, I'm dangerous to humans. A werewolf only responds to the call of its kind, and other animals as well, so your Uncle Sirius, and our other friends, decided to become animagi to keep me company on those lonely full moon nights…"


	33. Broken Ties

Talia sneezed, and sneezed, and sneezed, and _sneezed_… and then she choked, hacking up snot that had been lining the inside of her throat. Her body shook with a cold sweat, her head was pounding; but on the bright side -_if there even was a bright side_- the fever she had woken up with no longer made itself known in her body.

Hogwarts had been _blessed_ with a storm, buckets of water pouring down and beating the grounds to a muddy pulp. It was good news for Madame Sprout, who took Mother Nature's blessing into her own hands and let the roofs of the greenhouses down so that the plants and herbs could be graced with a shower. However, for Talia, the storm was a nightmare. It had hit just when she was getting back into the swing of things after the dreaded full moon, the coldness brought on by the rain attacking her weak defenses and donning her with a harsh flu.

A tremor hit Talia's body and she found her teeth chattering. She was sitting down in a cushioned armchair in front of the fireplace in the Slytherin common room, the room absent of noise as all of Talia's housemates were currently in the rain, cheering on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team against their better judgment.

"_Any team is better than Gryffindor_," Draco had said before Pansy had dragged him away.

A loud noise, which resembled gurgling and air being let out of a balloon, filled the otherwise silent common room, startling Talia until she realized that the noise had come from her abdomen. She quirked an eyebrow, looked down, and stared at her stomach until the rumbling began once more, this time accompanied by a burp from Talia's lips.

"Whoa, I guess I'm hungry," she mumbled. "Food could make me feel better… I hope I don't throw up."

After making a quick trip up to the dormitory to grab a gray sweater she could throw over her pajamas, Talia walked down the dungeon corridors, dragging her fuzzy-blue slipper clad feet lazily. She felt terrible, and therefore the only effort she had made in her appearance was to gather her hair away from her face.

"Miss Natalia…"

Talia turned, seeing in the dim torch light the face of the Bloody Baron. She gave him a weak smile and nodded her head to acknowledge his presence, then turned to look ahead of her as she had been doing earlier.

"I see that you are not well," the Baron noted, his voice low, raspy, and thoughtful. "How may I be of service?"

"If you had a potion that could cure this flu I'm going through, I'd be forever grateful," Talia said with teasing undertones, "but other than that, nothing really."

"Have you consulted Madame Pomfrey?"

Talia shook her head, earning herself a rather fatherly, "_Tsk tsk_," from the Bloody Baron.

"I've got my father for that," Talia said coolly, referring to Severus.

The Bloody Baron nodded, saying wistfully, "Ah, the Potion's Master, _correct_?"

Talia took a faltering step, regaining her composure and acting as if she hadn't been affected by the Bloody Baron's accusatory tone. Could he really know, Talia found herself thinking as she walked alongside him in silence. There was one way to know, of course; Talia needed to ask.

"Who else would there be," she chose to say smartly, not wanting to give herself away.

Much to her surprise, the Bloody Baron let out a hoarse laugh that echoed hauntingly through the dungeons. Talia of course wasn't fazed by this. She remained calm, her hands in her pockets, and her eyes fixated in front of her. She pressed her lips together in a thin line and wore a stoic expression that Severus would have been proud of, an expression that upon knowledge of her surname no one would have doubts of her parentage.

"Need I remind you that Isabella and I are _very_ close," and with that, the Bloody Baron floated ahead of Talia, floating upwards until he seeped into the stone ceiling and out of sight.

Stunned by the Bloody Baron's words, Talia stopped in her tracks and let her lips part slightly to exhale a breath that she hadn't been aware of holding. The Bloody Baron's last words floated in Talia's head, causing a flurry of confused thoughts to arise. Had her mother really confided in the Bloody Baron? Out of all the people—the _Bloody Baron_? She couldn't believe it… well, that was a slight lie. She thought back on a few days ago, when her mother and her Uncle Sirius had stopped by for an impromptu visit. They had talked about Hogwarts, going more in depth with their past, which Talia was very grateful for. It gave her a better understanding on how her mother and father's relationship had been—but getting back to her original train of thought, her mother had spoken fondly of the Bloody Baron. Isabella considered the Slytherin House ghost a friend.

_Well, that explains things, I suppose…_

* * *

><p>Something had happened; Hermione and Ron were talking. Talia almost spit out her cereal upon noticing them chatting wildly together—entering the Great Hall <strong>together<strong> no less. She had remained unnoticed in her little corner at the Slytherin table, the large room nearly void of human life since the school was currently buzzing with the Gryffindor/Hufflepuff game. The game appeared to be over though, since various bodies were beginning to flood into the room.

_I wonder if a quaffle hit Hermione on the back of the head_, Talia thought as she watched Hermione and Ron walk over to the Gryffindor table. Before they sat however, Hermione sneered, Ron spat an insult on how Crookshanks was a killer, and both went their separate ways. _Ooh, I knew it was just too good to be true—oh Merlin, and here she comes._

"Something tells me that something just happened," Talia said conversationally, quirking an eyebrow as Hermione plopped herself down on the bench beside her.

"I swear, Ron will be the death of me," Hermione grumbled, crossing her arms.

"I noticed," snickered Talia. "So, how'd the game go? Wish I could have been there, but this bloody flu has got me loopy."

"You should go to the Hospital Wing," chided Hermione. "Madame Pomfrey could fix you up something."

"I planned on it, after I finished eating," said Talia, gesturing to her bowl of cereal, "anyways, the game?"

"Oh, that." Hermione suddenly had a faraway look in her eyes, which worried Talia.

"Hermione?"

"The dementors," started Hermione, giving Talia a sad look, "they attacked Harry. He's in the Hospital Wing right now."

"Wow," said Talia in disbelief, "are you… alright?"

"I'm worried," said Hermione with a sigh. "The dementors ganged up on him, and for no reason too! It was horri—"

"What the hell do you think you're doing here, Granger?" Talia winced. Leave it up to Draco and his three stooges to make an entrance at the most inopportune of moments.

"I'm talking to my friend," said Hermione with conviction, glaring at Draco.

From beside Draco, Pansy scoffed. "Your _friend_?"

"Yes," Hermione hissed, rising from the bench. She was taller than Pansy, two or three inches, give or take, and she was going to use those extra inches to her advantage. "Talia is my **friend.**"

"Right," said Pansy with a sarcastic chuckle, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

Talia glared. She was sick, she was irritated; all she wanted was to sleep and not have to deal with the obvious blockage in her nose that was making her breathe through her mouth—**everything** was bothering her, and Pansy was making it worse. It was bad enough that she couldn't stand the girl and hated her with the fury of a thousand burning suns!

"Hermione is my _friend_, Pansy, so stop bothering her," Talia said as best as she could, scowling as Pansy laughed and made fun of how nasally she sounded. "Oh sod off!"

"Make me," hissed Pansy, eyes narrowed, all amusement gone from her face.

"Oh, you little—" Talia was about to lunge, but found herself being restrained by none other than Draco and Hermione, both holding onto either of her arms.

"She's not worth it," said Hermione softly, offering Talia a smile in thanks.

"Don't do anything stupid, Talia," said Draco, his eyes narrowing down at Talia, giving her a disapproving look.

_Fuck it._

"You know what," Talia hissed, wrenching her arm away from Draco and sending him a look of disgust, "when you stop carrying around _dead weight_, come and find me."

"Dead weight?" asked Draco with a sneer. "I'm not the one hanging around with a _mudblood_!"

Talia stared up at Draco with a shocked look on her face, but it quickly turned into one of anger. How dare he talk like that about Hermione! She was her friend! She had every right to sit with her at the Slytherin table if she so please! She could talk to anyone she wanted! Her blood had nothing to do with anything!

"Honestly Draco," Talia spat, slipping away from Hermione so that she could walk right up to Draco, "I don't like this side of you. It _disgusts_ me."

Draco was stunned into silence, staring down at Talia as she gave him a meaningful look before going back to Hermione and taking her hand, leading her out of the Great Hall. It stung him; he was hurt, never having expected those words to ever leave Talia's lips, let alone have them be directed at him. He wanted to run after her, to apologize for being a prat—but he could not. He had an image to uphold, and as of late, he had been letting it slip. People noticed how much he favored Talia, and it made him uncomfortable.

But then again, she was his, **_his_** friend; he didn't have to share her with anyone if he didn't want to!

Merlin, how these things confused him…

"Are you really going to let her talk like that to you?" asked Pansy, glaring at Talia's retreating form. She never understood why Draco always let Talia talk to him like that, with no respect whatsoever. He was a Malfoy! He had more to his name than the _Snapes—_he was a pureblood and had every right to put Hermione and Talia in their place!

"I'll deal with her later," said Draco with a stoic expression on his face, making Pansy gawk.

* * *

><p>Talia glared down at the phial that Madame Pomfrey had given her, not wanting to drink it, but wanting to drink it at the same time. It was a potion to rid her of some of the symptoms brought on by the flu she was going through. The potion tasted horrible, Talia having already ingested a does earlier on in the week, given to her by Severus. She did not want to go through the nasty taste that came with the potion, but she had no other choice but to ingest the fish-flavored stuff.<p>

"Come on dear," Madame Pomfrey said with a sigh of frustration, "Just drink it down swiftly if you want to breathe properly."

"_I know_," Talia said grimly, cringing as she looked down at the small phial in her hands. "Can't I—"

"Drink it, Miss Snape," Madame Pomfrey said strictly, placing her hands on her hips.

"It won't make me sleepy, will it?" Talia asked skeptically, thinking up of ways to stall, "Because my father gave me a potion that knocked me out—"

"I assure you," Madame Pomfrey interrupted Talia, "my potion will not make you sleep. Professor Snape must have laced it with a sleeping draught… not a bad idea, if I do say so myself."

"Are you sure?" Talia pressed, "Because my father—"

"Miss Snape," the matron said warningly, "Please... if you do not drink the potion then I will take drastic measures to ensure that you do."

Talia stood still for a few seconds, imagining herself throwing the small crystal bottle at Madame Pomfrey's head and making a run for it, but she knew that Madame Pomfrey was quick with her wand and would have her on the floor in a body bind before she could even make it passed the doors.

Shaking her head as if to rid herself of the vivid images she had been making up, Talia removed the stopper and held the bottle up to her lips, drinking it quickly and resisting the urge to gag before she placed the stopper back on to the now empty bottle.

"Lovely," Madame Pomfrey said stiffly, resisting the urge to reprimand Talia for being stubborn. "You can go join Miss Granger now."

"Thank you," Talia said sarcastically, handing Madame Pomfrey the empty bottle.

Madame Pomfrey sent the bottle away with a flick of her wand, the bottle floating across the room to rest on a tray that was on top of a metal cart with various other medical accessories on it. With that taken care of, the matron looked down to her would-be patient, boring holes in her sapphire eyes which made Talia take a defensive step back.

"If you fall ill _again_ and do not inform me, I will see to it that _your mother_ personally finds out about your ill condition from _me_," Madame Pomfrey said threateningly, not once losing an ounce of professionalism. "If I have to go to your home, then so be it, though she will know."

Talia let her eyes widen in slight fear and nodded her head, forgetting about the repulsive taste of fish that was slithering around her throat and stomach.

"If there is one thing I remember about your mother, is how foul a person she can be when she is worried about her loved ones."

There was something _odd_ about the way Madame Pomfrey had delivered that sentence. Was it perhaps the knowing look that shimmered in the depths of her weary eyes? Or perhaps it was the all-knowing undertone of her voice when she had said that Isabella was terrible to encounter when she was worried? Talia couldn't tell what the matron was trying to say, though she knew that just like the Bloody Baron, Madame Pomfrey knew more then she should.

Talia nodded curtly and quickly walked around the matron to head for the row of hospital beds. She could feel the piercing stare on the back of her head, though did not turn around in fear of catching Madam Pomfrey's stare. It made Talia feel vulnerable, as if she was standing naked in a room full of people who knew all of her secrets. Talia hated feeling weak and therefore she only walked faster, letting out a loud breath of air upon laying eyes on Hermione, who was at Harry's bedside.

"Did that really just happen?" asked Hermione with an amused look.

Talia shrugged her shoulders. "That thing tastes horrible. I held out for as long as I could."

"It was a valiant effort," said Harry sarcastically, sitting up in bed with slight difficulty.

Talia stared at him for a second before giving him a smile. It had been a while since she'd talked to him. She was mostly with Hermione, but she considered the bed-ridden Gryffindor a friend as well.

"I am amazing," said Talia with a chuckle, perching herself on the edge of the bed.

"You are, if what Hermione tells me holds any truth to it."

Talia looked at Hermione, who sat on a chair beside Harry's hospital bed. The bushy-haired girl gave her a warm smile, nodding her head.

"You're amazing," Hermione went on, referring to the incident in the Great Hall, "no one could pull off what you did, and I'm very grateful for having you as a friend."

Talia blushed, before clearing her throat and sitting up straight. "So, what's the deal with Ron?"

Harry groaned, shaking his head. "Still thinks that Crookshanks murdered Scabbers."

Talia scoffed. "The rat probably ran away."

"That's what I keep telling him, but he won't listen."

"Crookshanks would never do such a thing," said Hermione with her head held high.

"Maybe Brutus killed him," Talia said jokingly, "he wasn't very fond of that rat, if memory serves me right."

Harry and Hermione both laughed, making Talia grin, but then she sobered up, and asked, "Hey, what happened to your broom?"

Harry turned pale, a sad look crossing his eyes. "The Whomping Willow, that's what."

"Poor broom…"


	34. New Friends and Puppies

With December rolling through, the Hogwarts grounds were beginning to freeze over, snow piling up on the earth and covering the ground with a blanket of white fluff, making it the prime time for snowball fights and sledding.

The past few days had been a blur for Talia, who for once in her life had decided to keep things calm and go about her day without the usual excitement that would always follow her. She was keeping to herself for the most part, trying to avoid any drama that came knocking… though of course, that didn't really work out as well as she would have liked. Talia just chose to ignore it all, not wanting to bother with it. Like how her mother and Uncle Sev had gotten into a huge fight. She had let it slip in one of her letters home that her Uncle had given an assignment to the third years about werewolves…

To say that Isabella was livid was a huge understatement, but knowing her mother, Talia was sure that the fight would be over within a few days.

Another problem that Talia was ignoring was the situation with Draco. She refused to speak with him. Calling Hermione a mudblood (a name that her mother had forbade the use of after explaining it to Talia when she was young)—that did not sit well with her, and it made her realize that if Draco knew the true nature of **her** blood, their friendship could very well be blasted to smithereens. Talia just needed to spend some time away from him, to gather her thoughts and figure out how she was going to go about things. Thankfully, Draco hadn't made any moves to approach her other than the necessary pleasantries when around other Slytherins; he was ignoring her, to put it bluntly. He'd send her the occasional look, but never dared to speak a word to her about what had happened. The glares she'd send him were enough to keep him at bay.

One more thing that had also happened that was of major importance to Talia, right after Harry's accident, was the dementors being banished from the school; the attack on Harry had not bode well with Dumbledore, so he had quickly done something about it. His students' safety was far more important than extra guards lingering around the school. It gave Talia a bit of hope for her Uncle Sirius' wellbeing, now not having to worry about the Azkaban guards being on his back.

For a girl of 11 years of age, Natalia Snape had too much on her plate.

* * *

><p>It was a Hogsmeade weekend, and since Talia was too young to go on the little fieldtrip down to the local wizarding village, she found herself in the courtyard with her new friends—Fred and George Weasley, Ron's older (twin) brothers. The two lanky, tall, redheaded boys had sought her out specifically. Apparently, the incident with Hermione and Draco, and how she'd defended her friend, had gotten around in Gryffindor House.<p>

_Although_, Talia had noticed the Twins giving her odd looks when they thought she was not looking. It made her doubt their sincerity, but until they'd do something against her that proved they were up to no good, Talia would just drop it.

Anyways, Talia was busy fixing the scarf on her snowman, ignoring the Twin's comments on how her snowman was too short to be considered a 'man.' Talia had brushed off their comments with a roll of her eyes and a scowl, bashing the Twin's snowman on how lumpy it looked.

"Oh, how clever," Fred snickered, glancing at George, who was patting down their snowman's face, smoothing any lumpy edges.

"At least our snowman is taller than three feet," George snickered.

"My snowman is not three feet tall!"

Fred and George looked at one another, smirks on their faces. Swiftly they approached Talia, drawing out their wands and muttering a spell that Talia had never heard before. In an instant, the Twins had snowballs floating in the air, swaying with the movements of their wands that so obviously controlled them; Talia felt her heart stop.

"Don't even think about it!" Talia yelled, taking backwards steps, "Don't you even dare!"

"Don't even think about it, she says," Fred snickered, and with a wink and a large smile, waved his wand in Talia's direction, his brother doing the same.

Talia hit the ground instantaneously, face down, her hands going up to rest behind her head in a poor attempt to shield herself. She couldn't help the giggles that escaped her, but those soon turned into frustrated grunts as the Twins had taken to hitting her in the back of the head with snowballs whenever she'd try and get up, preventing her from rising. The two redheads were laughing away, thinking they were rather clever in the moment… until a very stern voice cut through their laughter, demanding that the snowballs be stopped from pelting Talia on the head.

"We were only teasing, Sir," Fred said, elbowing his brother in the ribs, "Right, George?"

"Of course, Fred," replied his twin, a teasing grin on his face. "We were only teasing."

Talia was covered in snow, the white fluffy wetness coving her like a blanket of ice. She felt a hand reach out to her, pulling her up by the back of her coat to set her upright. Remus was instantly before her, a concerned yet amused look on his face as he offered her the tiniest of smiles, brushing her shoulders to rid them of snow.

"Thank you, Professor," Talia said, flustered, her face quickly scrunching up as she sneezed and sniffled.

"Seems to me that you're getting a cold," Remus mused, a small frown working its way onto his lips.

"Ugh, not _another_ one," Talia whined, then looked over at Fred and George and pointedly said, "If _someone _hadn't of buried me in snow...!"

"We would be delighted to meet that _someone_," Fred and George said simultaneously, making Talia roll her eyes, and Remus chuckle.

"How about we get you inside before you get any worse?" Remus offered with a suggestive smile, "I hear the house elves make a lovely hot chocolate."

Talia smiled and nodded, bidding the Twins a quick goodbye, but not before she stuck her tongue out at them. Fred and George merely laughed, snickering between themselves while going back to fussing over their snowman. The little Slytherin was a laugh, and they now understood why Hermione spoke very fondly of her. _However_, there was still that odd mishap with a certain **_Marauder's Map_** of theirs, a map that could tell you where anyone was in the castle at any moment of the day, everyday…

The map listed Talia as "Natalia _Lupin_", but **_no_**; it couldn't be, could it…?

_Nah_, the Twins thought, dismissing the thought as quickly as it came.

Meanwhile, Remus led Talia into the castle, making light small talk to pass the time as he guided Talia towards his classroom. He hadn't seen much of her, only being able to fully share time with her when he had to teach, but even then the time he had with her was limited and not private. The meetings in his office were also always cut short, in fears that someone would get suspicious if they saw Talia frequenting his office. He already had the Bloody Baron dropping hints that he knew he and Talia were related, and even Madame Pomfrey had said a suggestive comment once or twice, though neither had outright accused him of being Talia's father; he wasn't about to risk this secret getting out, though. Today, however, with the Hogsmeade weekend being the buzz around Hogwarts, it was a perfect opportunity to spend some much-needed time with his daughter. He was going to take advantage of at least two hours of her time, knowing that she wouldn't mind.

"The holidays are approaching," Remus said casually as he opened his classroom door, allowing Talia to enter first.

"Oh, I know," Talia grumbled, making a beeline to the back of the classroom and up the spiral staircase that led to her father's office.

"You don't sound too excited," remarked Remus, watching his daughter curiously as he followed her.

"Mum sent me an owl this morning saying that we're gonna be spending the holidays at Malfoy Manor," Talia informed, throwing herself on the sofa in her father's office, landing face down and stretching out across it. "It's gonna be horrible!"

Remus was confused. He knew that Talia and Draco were rather close, too close for his liking, but they were friends and Isabella had told him that the two were nearly joined at the hip. Why was Talia suddenly dreading going to the Malfoy's home? Something must have happened.

"Natalia, feet off the furniture," he scolded absentmindedly, making Talia sit up and set her feet on the ground. "Now, what's this about it being horrible at the Malfoy's?"

"Draco and I haven't been… _talking_," Talia began, playing with her hair. "He called Hermione a _name._"

"What name?" he asked, tilting his head to the side in question.

"Promise you won't get mad if I say it?" she asked instead, looking up at her father with a hopeful expression.

Remus nodded, leaning down and taking her tiny hand in both of his larger ones. "Go on, I won't be mad."

"Okay," Talia said, taking in a deep breath and blurting out, "hecalledHermioneamudblood."

"A what?" Remus asked, chuckling. "Speak slowly, darling."

Talia rolled her eyes and sighed. "He called Hermione a **mudblood**."

Remus' eyebrows shot up, but he quickly disguised the surprise in his eyes by offering Talia a small, understanding smile. He settled himself beside her, and then pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head and keeping her close.

"So he called Hermione…. A _name_," he mused quietly, not liking saying the name himself. The last time he'd heard that word had been sometime during his fifth year at Hogwarts—it had been so long ago, and the events that transpired after that name had been uttered were things he did not want to remember, not know…

"Yeah, and then he and I got into an argument and I walked away."

"Good," said Remus, pulling away from her to look down at her. "You did the right thing by walking away."

"Pansy started it all, anyways," Talia mumbled, leaning into her father's embrace, "you know, I think she's jealous of me and Draco. She likes him, as in, like _like_s him. But he doesn't like her like that. He told me once that she reminds him of a pug!"

"Natalia," Remus said warningly, but couldn't help but to chuckle.

"It's true!" Talia exclaimed with a smile, "He told me so before coming to Hogwarts; said that her mum looked like a pug too and that he couldn't believe that her father got with—"

"Natalia."

"Sorry," Talia said with a sheepish grin.

"Anyways," continued Remus, wanting to change the subject, "what would you like for Christmas?"

A huge, genuine smile suddenly broke out on Talia's face, "A puppy!"

Remus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was just too predictable. _At least she didn't say unicorn…_

"I saw this cute little bulldog last summer. He was so fat and full of wrinkles and wobbled from side to side when he walked! His owner let me pet him and take him into the house to show my mum and Uncle Sev—Uncle Sev called it a _sausage!_"

Remus chuckled, kissing Talia on the forehead and shaking his head. She was so mature and yet so naive and innocent, it pulled at his heartstrings.

"A sausage you say," he remarked with a smirk. "Well, you know, there is that one dog, a dachshund—"

"**THE WIENER DOG!**" Talia all but screamed, a large smile on her face, her eyes lighting up.

Remus laughed, smiling so wide that his face began to hurt.

The next two hours were spent talking about puppies and fancy holiday dresses and not surprisingly, unicorns.

Remus wouldn't have had it any other way.


	35. Holiday At Malfoy Manor

Classes were over for the remainder of the holidays, and to celebrate, Talia had eaten her way through two boxes of vanilla biscuits, courtesy of her father. It had seemed like a brilliant way to celebrate at the time, but now she was regretting her decision.

Talia lay in bed in the empty first year's dormitory, rubbing her stomach and burping every so often. The sound of soft footsteps from the common room caught her attention, making her sit up carefully and get out of bed. No one was supposed to be in the common room right now, at least no one that she knew of. All of Slytherin House had gone home for the holidays, all except her and Draco.

"What are you doing here?" Talia sneered as Draco strode into the girl's dormitory, hands in his pockets. "I'm still not talking to you!"

Draco quirked an eyebrow, resisting the urge to smile. As casually as he could, he replied with, "But you're talking to me right now."

"No I'm—I… _ugh_," Talia sputtered, glaring at him. This time Draco did smile, chuckling softly as well. "What do you want?"

"We're leaving for the manor together, remember?"

_Damn it,_ thought Talia. She'd been dreading it, not wanting to actually talk to Draco, nor be anywhere **near** him. She was still mad at him! It had been weeks and he had yet to apologize to Hermione!

"Well," said Talia indifferently, "just give me a moment to pack."

"No need," said Draco dismissively, "the house elves will take care of that."

Talia glared at him, but nodded her head.

"So," started Draco awkwardly, looking around the room; he didn't know what to say but he just **_had_** to say something, "where's Brutus?"

"Brutus!" Talia called out, and in seconds, the little ferret ran out from underneath her bed, crawling up the bedpost and throwing himself on the mattress. "There he is," she said, pointing.

"Right," Draco mumbled, his face holding a guarded expression, "well, c'mon."

He had offered Talia his hand, but she had coolly ignored it and walked past him, Brutus trailing along behind her. It hurt Draco, this rejection was new, but he knew he was the one at fault, even though he would never admit it aloud. Oh, how he wanted to curse Pansy for opening her big mouth; none of this would have happened if she had only minded her own business.

"Well, here goes nothing," he told himself softly, following a few paces behind Talia.

Merlin, this holiday was going to be a tricky one.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Talia sat beside her mother at the Malfoy dining room table, eating her supper quietly as she pretended to listen to the adult's conversation. She really had no idea what they were talking about, nor did she really care. She was off in her own little world, eating her beef stew and looking forward to dessert. If there was one good thing that would come out of this holiday, it would be the desserts the house elves made—only the best for the Malfoys', after all. Talia could already imagine the pies and ice creams and biscuits and—<p>

"Natalia," Narcissa's voice floated through the air, interrupting Talia's train of thought.

Talia quickly swallowed the food in her mouth and looked away from her plate, her sapphire eyes dancing along the table until she spotted Narcissa at the end of the table on the right side, Lucius seated at the head, while Draco sat beside him, on the opposite side of his mother.

"Yes, Aunt Cissy?" Talia asked with a small smile, hoping that she wore a convincing enough expression so that Narcissa wouldn't figure out she hadn't been paying attention.

She had absolutely _no clue_ as to what was currently going on.

"Have any boys at Hogwarts caught your eye?" Narcissa asked with a small twinkle in her eyes, sending a look towards her son discreetly.

_Oh no…_

"Um, no," Talia replied, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "I'm not really into that… _stuff._"

"Oh, come now," Narcissa pushed on, a teasing smile on her red lips, "there must be _someone, _maybe a boy in Slytherin House, hmm?"

Talia didn't really know what to say. She wasn't comfortable speaking about _boys_.

"Draco would make a fine husband," Narcissa said suddenly (proudly), giving her son a loving look.

Draco, who had been sipping lemonade from a crystal glass, nearly spit the juice back in his cup. Talia on the other hand, began to play nervously with the napkin in her hands.

"Cissy, come now, don't embarrass the boy," said Isabella, chuckling at the mortified look on Draco's face.

Narcissa ignored Isabella, her sights set solely on Talia. "Your Uncle Lu and I married young, with hardly any years of courting. It was arranged after all, but it worked out perfectly for us nevertheless."

"Love at first sight," commented Lucius, earning a pleased smile from his wife.

"You know, Draco will be of age once Natalia is about fifteen," mused Narcissa, giving Isabella a look. "The years fly by very quickly…"

"Narcissa, what are you trying to insinuate," asked Severus, who had been quiet throughout the meal until now, being seated across from Isabella and Talia.

"Well, you and Isabella are very good friends of ours and our children get along marvelously," Narcissa said slyly, "it is only natural for them to be together. They would make a fine couple—oh, and just think of the children they'd have!"

"Is that so," muttered Severus, the scowl on his face deepening.

Isabella chuckled halfheartedly. Narcissa always brought this up, so it was nothing new to her. The woman was convinced that Talia would become a Malfoy with time. However, the topic had never really been talked about in front of the children… or Severus, for that matter. It made her slightly nervous.

"Talia," Isabella said quietly, looking down at her daughter to see that she was bending her fork, a faraway look in her eyes. Oh, this was not good. "Honey, you alright?"

Talia blinked, letting her brows meet at the middle in confusion before looking down at her hands. Instead of the napkin she'd thought was in her grasp, there laid a white-gold fork, bent in the shape of the letter "L." Immediately, as if the fork were made of fire, Talia let it go.

The fork clattered and fell on her plate, the juices from the stew coating it and glazing it with a murky brown color.

"I uh—sorry," Talia mumbled with a deep blush on her cheeks, giving Lucius and Narcissa apologetic smiles, "I didn't realize I was doing that."

"Of course you didn't," Lucius said after a moment, a smile gracing his lips, which confused Talia. "You were staring at Draco the entire time, after all."

_Ah shit._


	36. Always Pure of Heart

"Please," Talia begged her mother for what seemed like the millionth time.

Isabella sighed and shook her head, not taking her eyes away from the scarf she was knitting as she said, "No Talia, and I mean it this time."

"But I know he'll allow it," Talia argued, narrowing her eyes at her mother's form, which sat across from her in the Malfoy's sitting room.

Isabella sighed, placing the half-knitted scarf down on her lap to look at her daughter properly. Talia wore a genuine look of hurt on her face, a look that almost made Isabella reconsider Talia's request and say 'yes'… _almost_.

"I'm sorry Talia, but you can't go."

"But—"

"What will I say when they start asking questions? I can't tell them that you're off with your _father_," said Isabella in a hushed voice. "Please, no more begging; let us try and make this an enjoyable holiday."

"But I don't like it here anymore," Talia mumbled truthfully, "Aunt Cissy keeps talking about wedding-related stuff and it's making me feel weird." _Among other things_, she added silently.

"I know love; it even makes **me** feel weird," Isabella offered with a sigh, "though there isn't much we can do. You know how your Aunt Cissy is, and it is all only teasing really. Don't take anything that she says seriously, no matter how serious she actually gets."

"Did you not see her during breakfast?" Talia quickly exclaimed, "She made me sit beside Draco! Oh, and we mustn't forget what Uncle Lu did to the archway leading out of the dining room—those mistletoes were **_not_** there last night!"

"I know, I saw Lucius cast them earlier this morning," Isabella said with a chuckle. "Just act naturally and go with the flow of things. We'll be home soon enough, and _then_, if Remus gives me the okay, you can spend the day with him."

Talia glared daggers at her mother and was about to spit out an insult, though thought better of it and walked out of the sitting room instead. Asking Severus for permission to return to Hogwarts so she could spend Christmas with her father hadn't even crossed her mind until now. With her mother refusing to grant her permission to leave Malfoy Manor it was only logical for her to think of Severus since he was next in line when it came to parental figures. Sadly, Talia already knew what her uncle would say.

_Uncle Sev will say 'no'_, Talia thought bitterly.

At that thought, Talia scoffed angrily and kept her sights glued to her feet as she wandered around the manor. She wondered what Remus was up too; probably catching up on sleep and eating more then he should, she figured. He had made a comment during their little meeting in his office, which implied that he would sleep until the late afternoon and eat properly—Talia couldn't blame him. Remus was haggard looking and was constantly yawning. The full moons were finally starting to catch up with him, and what better opportunity then a holiday to set himself right again.

While contemplating on writing Remus a letter or sending him the scarf she had finished knitting for Christmas, Talia noticed Draco exit one of the rooms she had walked past, though she didn't acknowledge him.

_Let him think I'm ignorant of his presence_, she thought with a small smirk.

Draco followed Talia quietly, not really knowing what he would tell her when she turned to face him, and not really knowing why he was following her to begin with. He was mad at her, was he not? She had scorned him and stood with that mudblood; he had every right to be mad at her, even if it was technically his fault for starting the fight—or was it Pansy's? Merlin's beard, he didn't even know anymore; things were starting to get way out of hand. For the last few days, Talia had done everything in her power to avoid him. It was driving him close to the point of giving up on their friendship for the sake of some peace of mind.

Nevertheless, there was something kicking his side and telling him to set things right again with Talia. He knew that no matter what would happen she would always be there for him. She was still his best friend, wasn't she? Best friends would fight and then make up; that was what happened in healthy relationships between two people… right?

_Damn it, Draco_, he thought, clearing his throat. _I can't take this anymore; this is stupid. Why am I acting so… jealous?_

Was Draco jealous? Was he jealous because he had to share Talia with Hermione Granger of all people, or was he jealous because he cared a little too much about his dearest friend? Did he even care about her in that nature to begin with? Draco was confused, not liking how the solitude that came with ignoring his best friend brought on all this free time to dwell on his thoughts and emotions. In addition, with his mother and father pressuring him to win Talia over to their side, to make her a Malfoy through and through, he didn't know what to think anymore. Draco was overwhelmed. He just knew that something was going to happen, something big, and that when the time came for that something to happen, many people would get hurt—physically and emotionally.

_Why must things be so hard? I'm not even fourteen yet!_

"You know you don't have to clear your throat," Talia said in a bored tone, "I heard you slip out of one of those rooms earlier."

Draco stopped in his tracks shortly, a surprised expression capturing his face before he continued walking, speeding up his pace to catch up with Talia and walk besides her.

"How do you always know?" he nearly sneered, shoving his hands in his pockets and keeping his sights low.

"I have _excellent_ hearing, remember?" Talia shrugged, looking ahead of her with a small, hardly there, smile on her lips.

Draco turned to look at the tiny girl besides him. Talia's hair was cascading down her chest in elegant ringlets, the lit torches casting a warm glow, giving her hair a purple tint. She was dressed simply in a dress that he had seen many times before, a dress that bore a square neckline and flowed down to her knees. She was barefoot, which wasn't uncommon—she'd told Draco many times that she liked walking on the rugs the lined the manor halls because they were so soft and fluffy. Looking at her like this, made up so simply yet nicely, made his chest tighten to the point that he almost stopped breathing.

_What the fuck_, he asked himself, looking away from Talia, his cheeks heating up.

Maybe it was because he and she were walking together, alone, and not fighting for once. Alternatively, maybe it was because things between them hadn't been the same since their fight in the Great Hall. It also could be because his parents were pestering him to win Talia's heart so they could marry, which he of course thought was way out of line. On the other hand, maybe it was because she looked beautiful today and the sight of her caught him off guard. Whatever the case may be, Draco was getting sick of it, and he wanted to make amends but did not know how. Draco Malfoy after all was not known for saying sorry.

"Talia," he said in his best casual voice, trying to mask the fact that he was nervous and wanted to turn on his heels and run, "I say we should call a truce. What do you say?"

Talia turned to look at him for the first time since they began to walk together, and smiled, reaching out to pull on his arm so that he would take out his hand from within his front pocket.

"You are forgiven," she said with a cheeky smile, holding his hand and walking with a slight skip in her step.

Draco arched an eyebrow and immediately spat, "That wasn't an apology."

"Yeah, sure it wasn't," Talia smiled.

Draco couldn't help but glared at her and turned to look forwards, the side of his lips twitching as he fought off a smile.

* * *

><p>Severus silently sat in the armchair that his room at Malfoy Manor provided for him, watching with a stoic expression on his face as Talia and Isabella were sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace. They were all in pajamas: Severus in his nightshirt and robe, Isabella in her nightgown, and Talia in pajama pants and an old Slytherin House shirt. Both females had their hairs messily tied at the top of their heads in buns, and were counting down the seconds until the grandfather clock in the corner of the room would strike midnight.<p>

"Will you make cheesecake when we get home?" Talia asked her mother as she tore her eyes away from the clock.

"Of course," Isabella smiled.

The traditional homemade cheesecake would have to wait until the three Snapes could get back to Spinner's End, but that did not mean that the traditional midnight opening of presents would have to be postponed. In front of Isabella and Talia were three presents: one for Severus, one for Talia, and one for Isabella. They each had picked out only one present and left the rest under the Malfoy's Christmas tree, since it was Malfoy tradition to open gifts on the morning of Christmas rather than at midnight.

When the grandfather clock began chiming, Talia yelled, "Finally!"

Isabella looked back at Severus and laughed, shaking her head at her daughter's excitement before saying, "Happy Christmas, Severus."

"Happy Christmas, Isabella," Severus said with a slight nod of the head.

Talia, too busy with searching her present for a name, merely grunted when Severus and Isabella wished her a Happy Christmas.

"What seems to be the matter?" Severus asked curiously, rising from his chair and walking over to the fireplace to lean casually on the wall besides it. "Are you not going to open your present?"

"I am," Talia mumbled, turning the tiny gold and red box in her hands, "when I find a damn name on this thing."

Severus decided to ignore Talia's language and watched with curiosity as Talia turned over her tiny present. There was no tag on it, or a name written on the wrapping paper. It was indeed a mysterious little gift, one of many that the owls had brought in earlier that day.

"Honey, just open it," Isabella said with an amused chuckle, "maybe the sender's name is inside."

"Good idea," Talia mumbled.

Talia delicately unwrapped her tiny present, revealing a wooden box that fit perfectly in the palm of her hand. She turned the wooden box repeatedly, but found no name or tag and let her brows meet at the middle with confusion.

_Maybe the tags _**inside** _the box_, Talia thought, opening the tiny box.

At the sight that met his eyes, Severus couldn't help but let his eyebrows rise up with surprise. Isabella on the other hand gasped and stared down at Talia's present in awe. There, nestled in black velvet, was a solid-gold heart-shaped locket with intricate designs carved on its front. Talia was left speechless and stared down at the locket in utter confusion and surprise. She set down the box on her lap and picked up the heart-shaped locket by its chain, holding it up against the fireplace's light to examine it. The little designs on the heart's cover were actually snakes that wove in and out of flowers, and as the locket twirled slowly, Talia caught a glimpse of something engraved on the back in elegant script.

"_Always pure of heart_," Talia read softly, a small smile on her face as she could only think of one person who would give her such a gift.


	37. Broken

Remus was beaming as he held Talia's parcel close to his heart. It had been such a surprise to see the little gray owl land in front of him in the Great Hall, not having expected anything that morning other than the usual letter from his mother. As he neared his private quarters, he failed to notice the wet paw prints on the stone floor that ended behind the tapestry that was across from his portrait. He had also failed to notice the strong smell of wet dog in the air. Remus was too anxious to see what his beloved Talia had given him, and therefore he was distracted and oblivious to all the signs around him pointing towards Sirius Black.

In the blink of an eye, Remus was pushed into his sitting room after opening his portrait door, dropping Talia's parcel and landing on the floor face first. He flipped himself on his back and drew his wand, looking up through startled eyes as he caught the sight of Sirius quickly shutting the portrait and making sure it was locked.

"Merlin's beard," Remus sighed with a sharp intake of air, lowering his wand, "I was about to bloody hex you into next year!"

"We'll I'm very glad that you did not," Sirius said with a cheeky grin, walking forwards and extending a hand to Remus to help him up.

"How in Hades name do you manage to get inside the castle without being detected?" Remus mumbled, brushing down his tweed suit and fixing his tie.

"You can't really get inside a place that you're already inside of, dear Mooney," Sirius grinned, plopping himself very comfortably on Remus' couch.

"Well, you should be more careful," Remus warned Sirius, picking up Talia's parcel and sitting himself down beside him, "You're still a wanted man. I know we've been reckless in the past but enough is enough."

"I will be a free man one day, Mooney," said Sirius, giving his friend a look, "once I get my hands on that damn rat, all will be known. How have you gone about getting that Weasley boy away from Peter, by the way?"

"Not so good, I'm afraid. Peter gave Ron a run for his money and managed to get himself lost for a few weeks, though he is once again residing in the Gryffindor common room," Remus informed his friend. "Crookshanks and Brutus have tried to attack Peter every chance they get, but nothing has come of it so far. Isabella also said that if you should need her help, all you have to do is ask."

"Peter has always been blessed with far too much luck then he deserves," Sirius spat.

"That he has," Remus said with a sigh, "though I rather not spend my Christmas morning thinking about those things."

"I'd cheer to that," Sirius said with a sigh, eyeing his friend with concern. "You look far too old, you know? We're the same age after all, and I don't look nearly as bad as you do—"

"No, you look worse," Remus joked, gaining a laugh from his friend.

"But really," continued Sirius, sobering up, "The past full moons have not been kind to you, and tonight will be no different. You've taken your potion for the day, yes?"

"Of course I've taken my potion, and I'd rather _not_ talk about that this morning_, thank you very much_."

Sirius laughed and let himself sink into Remus' couch, enjoying the soft feathery pillows and cushions that molded around his back. Besides him, Remus was delicately peeling away the brown wrapping paper off Talia's parcel. There were doodles all over it, little pictures all drawn by Talia, and he wanted to save the paper so that he'd have something more to look back on.

"What's that you got there, Mooney?" Sirius asked curiously, slightly leaning over to peer over Remus' shoulder.

Remus kept quiet, a wave of emotions suddenly washing over him. Tears began to collect in his eyes, and a small smile began to make its way across his scarred lips. There was a letter, two pictures, a small container of food, and a very familiar blue scarf.

"Mind letting me look at everything else while you busy yourself with the letter?" Sirius asked with a sad, knowing smile, not waiting for Remus to answer him as he took everything in his hands and placed them on his lap, leaving Talia's letter with Remus.

With a shaky breath, Remus silently began to read:

_Dear Daddy,_

_Holiday at the Malfoys' was a disaster at the beginning. Aunt Cissy and Uncle Lu kept bothering Draco and me with marriage. Can you believe that? I know I can't. Draco thinks it's mad, but he said that it wouldn't be so bad because we're friends, and it would be better than getting married to a complete stranger, you know._

_Yes, Draco and I made up and now we're talking again. He called a truce, which is his way of saying that he is sorry for being such an idiot. He's too much of a coward to actually tell me that he was sorry about the whole incident between us in the Great Hall. Things are good now, though!_

_Other than that, my holidays are going smoothly so far since we are now getting ready to go back home. Malfoy Manor is lovely, but sometimes I get lost because the place is so big, and I miss my bed! But they have peacocks running around in the gardens, and they've got their own lake in the fields that surround the house, which I think is pretty cool. I even have my own room here, but it's so big that sometimes I get scared at night because there's a tree outside the window that makes these shapes in the dark, so I just sneak into Draco's room; he never minds. We always end up staying up late, and he even gets the house elves to bring us chocolate covered popcorn!_

_When we get back to Spinner's End mum says that she's going to try and convince Uncle Sev to take us broom riding and maybe even down to the muggle side of London so we can look at all the fairy lights the muggles have set up. I'm really looking forward to that! Maybe I can convince Uncle Sev to buy me some muggle candies to take back to Dumbledore, and some chocolate bars that have peanuts and almonds too! Those are the best; I think he'd like those. Ooh, along with gummy bears and gummy worms!_

_I hope you like my presents! The scarf is mum's favorite, she always wears it and I nicked it from her bag the other day. I think it still smells of her perfume, I know you'd like that; it always makes me feel safe when I get scared, her smell that is._

_I hope she thinks that she lost it…_

_The food container holds mum's homemade cheesecake—she always makes it for special occasions. She surprised me and Uncle Sev this morning with it. She said that she woke up early to make it and that she had to fight off the Malfoy's house elves because they didn't want her to make anything—you know how house elves are, always eager to please. She said that they thought it was blasphemy that she was going to cook without their help._

_The pictures are self-explanatory, really—they have descriptions written on the back and everything, so I'm not going to waste any ink on writing about them. Just keep them safe. Mum let me take them outta one of her photo albums._

_Anyways, I hope your night isn't too rough. The full moons tonight and yeah… I'll probably be given a sleeping draught to knock me out so I don't cause any trouble (it's just one of those days that I really can't be bothered with staying conscious)._

_Quick question: if you're unconscious will you still transform? I've been wondering that for a few days now, haha._

_OH! I forgot to mention this, but I was going to come and visit. I couldn't though. Certain people might ask questions, and then Draco and I made up and we've been catching up, and just… I don't know what to say, but I just want you to know that I tried to make it up to you in the form of this parcel and letter! I had really been looking forward to spending Christmas with you—next year for sure!_

_I have to end this here. Mum just walked into the room and told me to get my bags ready because we're leaving for Spinner's End right now. Apparently, "Lucy," as she calls Uncle Lu behind his back, was pestering Uncle Sev about promising me to Draco… and let us just say that Uncle Sev gave Uncle Lu a bit of that dark humor we all know and love, and now we gotta leave before stuff happens._

_I'm laughing so hard right now!_

_Yours truly,_

_Natalia Marina Lupin (Heehee, see what I did there?)_

**_PS:_**_ If you see Uncle Sirius, tell him that I love his gift. He got me a really pretty golden locket shaped like a heart with "always pure of heart" engraved on the back. When I open it, there's a picture of you and mum back from when you were in Hogwarts! Wow, I never knew you had hair up to your shoulders. Anyways, the letter Uncle Sirius included with his gift was actually __**IN**__ the locket, which was smart. If you tap this paper twice, a copy of his letter will appear so you can see what he wrote me._

**_PS-2:_**_ Mum says to say Happy Christmas for her and that she sends her love and that you should be careful tonight, so… HAPPY CHRISTMAS… and… I love you (?) – and be careful!_

_But yeah, I love you daddy, and please be careful!_

Remus took in a deep breath, closing his eyes and taking a moment to regain his composure. He hadn't been aware that he had begun to silently cry towards the end of Talia's letter; not until one of his tears hit the yellowed parchment and smudged the black ink. Despite the pain in his chest and the feeling of being alone, he smiled, rereading Talia's letter before he took out his wand and tapped the paper twice. The words on the page began to rearrange themselves and the black ink turned a very bright emerald green, which seemed to sparkle as if it were infused with diamonds; Sirius's handy work, no doubt about that.

"Hey, is that my—that sneaky little witch!" Sirius exclaimed with a broad grin, laughing as he shook his head. "Here, I'll read it aloud while you take a look at your presents."

Sirius ignored the fact that Remus had been crying, not wanting to make his friend feel uncomfortable by acknowledging it. It was a hard task, dealing with something so big as a daughter and a lost love, and Sirius didn't want to cause Remus anymore pain then what he was already going through. He gingerly traded the scarf, food container, and pictures in exchange for the letter that Remus had been holding, and began reading aloud:

_My Dearest Little One,_

_I managed to get some of my money out of Gringotts. A dear friend of mine got hurt you see, and I bought him a present to make him feel better. I had a few gold coins to spare, and I told myself: Sirius, how about you buy Remus' pup something to make her sparkle?_

_I've charmed the locket so that only you and those you give permission can open it. I thought it best so that your dear old Uncle Snivellus doesn't see what's on the inside. It would be a sight to see if he did find out, though, right? He'd be so jealous—I also did it so that not just anyone can open it. It would be quite a story to explain, am I right?_

_Anyways, Happy Christmas, and mind the full moon. I'll see you once the holidays are over, possibly—I make no promises, love._

_Lots of love,_

_Uncle Sirius_

Remus hadn't been paying attention to Sirius' reading at all. He'd been too immersed in his own thoughts and what his eyes were showing him. On his lap, he had the small container of food, which held two slices of cheesecake, but not just any ordinary cheesecake. It was Isabella's homemade cheesecake that she only made on holidays; a recipe that his mother had taught Isabella herself. He was surprised that after all these years of being apart she still made the Lupin family cheesecake. It meant a great deal to him, and he felt tears burning in his eyes once more.

Taking in a deep and steady breath, Remus managed to make the tears disappear, and he focused on the light blue scarf that was neatly folded on his lap. He let an inaudible gasp escape his lips as he let his fingertips gently caress the soft and familiar fabric. This was **_his_** scarf, a scarf that Isabella had knitted him and given him on his 19th birthday. It was a scarf that he had thought lost.

However, the scarf and cheesecake weren't enough to make tears and sobs escape Remus. The moving pictures that he held with shaky hands were the final straw, and his emotions poured out of him like water from a broken dam.

The first picture showed Isabella, looking radiant as ever, standing in her bedroom at Spinner's End. She was wearing a nightgown that showed off her large, rounded belly, and on her face was a tired smile. One hand was rubbing her stomach and the other was supporting her back. Isabella winced for a moment in what appeared to be pain, and then brought both hands down to cradle her stomach just below her bellybutton. A few moments later, she smiled once more and waved a hand at the camera; the picture began to repeat its motions after that.

Remus turned the picture over, reading in a whisper, "April 19th, 1982 | Baby John is giving me hell tonight. I'm going through contractions, but that's to be expected—it's a full moon tonight after all. So far so good, though. I just have to ride things out until the morning and then John will settle down, like he always does."

John was Remus' middle name. Isabella had thought she'd be having a baby boy. She wanted to name the baby after him—Remus felt a new wave of tears escape him.

"She's still in love with you," Sirius said softly, "She named him… er, her… you know what I mean. But the point is, she was going to name the baby boy after you. John is your middle name, isn't it?"

Remus nodded, letting his eyes move to the next picture.

This picture showed Isabella wearing sunglasses, a green two-piece bathing suit, and building a sandcastle with a two-year-old Talia on a beach. Talia was wearing a frilly white hat that covered most of her head and shielded her twinkling eyes from the sun, and she was dressed in a very cute red dress with white polka dots. The two were laughing and wielding plastic toy-shovels, and unexpectedly Severus walked into the picture wearing a black, short-sleeved button down shirt and black shorts, planting himself besides Isabella and waving a hand discreetly, letting a tiny burst of magic reconstruct Isabella and Talia's poor attempted at a sandcastle. The sandcastle quickly rearranged itself, sand solidifying, and the once lumpy castle took on the form of something very similar to Hogwarts. Talia had clapped from her sitting position on the sand, laughed, and then lost her balance and fell backwards, her pudgy legs kicking the air as Isabella immediately dived towards her daughter to set her upright. Severus quirked an eyebrow and looked around before quickly aiding his cousin, and once Talia was safely sitting on Isabella's lap, both Isabella and Severus stooped down and kissed Talia on either cheek, making the two year old who was about to cry, burst into a fit of giggles.

"Talia and Sev's first trip to-to the be-beach…," Remus read in a shaky whisper, not being able to read the rest that was written in Isabella's hand on the back of the photograph, before breaking down and slumping into Sirius' awaiting arms, crying broken sobs as his heart tore once again in two.

Oh, how he wanted his family right now.


	38. A Promise

_Dear Talia,_

_I hope your Christmas holiday at the Malfoys' was enjoyable… as enjoyable as a holiday at the Malfoys can be. I received your owl and I must say I have fallen in love with the planner you have given me—those Never-Ending Ink Quills were a brilliant addition as well! You have no idea how much money I will save up now that I will not need to buy ink. A very well thought out present, I must say. I hope you enjoy the barrettes I got you. I remembered one of our conversations where you were commenting on the ones I had on and I asked my mum to go out and buy you a pair. I told her of which house you were in, so she thought that a nice simple black pair would be best._

_Harry says that he loved the Quidditch books you got for him; says they're really helpful since they provide pointers for better game play and strategy._ _And I'm sure Ron appreciates the Chocolate Frogs you got him, I've witnessed him eat nearly the whole bag in one sitting…_

_Anyways, you'd never guess what has happened! Harry got a Firebolt on Christmas to replace his broken broom. It was sent anonymously… and I find that highly suspicious. I told Professor McGonagall that I suspect Sirius Black to be the sender and she said that she had the same notion. Professor Flitwick and Madam Hooch confiscated it to check it for Dark Magic… and now Harry and Ron are mad at me—Ron more than Harry is, since Harry at least understands why I did what I did._

_At the Christmas dinner, I noticed that your father wasn't in, as is customary since from what I remember you telling me, he spends Christmas at home per your mum's request. To be honest, I can't really imagine your father getting into the holiday spirit. That's like Dumbledore actually speaking straight and not in riddles, you know?_

_Also, I noticed that Professor Lupin wasn't at the dinner also. I asked Dumbledore where he was and I was told that Lupin was sick and had to be out for a few days. Haven't you noticed something a bit off about Lupin? I have a theory about why he's always sick at around the same time of the month. I trust you Talia, and what I'm about to write is something that I want you to keep to yourself: I think Professor Lupin is a were—_

Isabella could no longer read the letter in her hands. She felt her chest tightening and her eyes watering. Said hands were now shaking, and she felt weak enough to fall over. Glass suddenly began to shatter all throughout the Snape household, books falling off their shelves and intricate trinkets clanging to the grounds. The house slowly began to shake as if undergoing an earthquake, and down in the basement shelves filled with jars of miscellaneous potions and mixtures fell to the ground, shattering in colorful bursts of smoke.

"What the devil…" Severus grumbled, barging into the kitchen with his arm raised, his wand held within a firm hand, and his eyes darting around the room, in search of the source of all the noise and destruction.

What he found was an interesting sight.

Isabella stood still, her back ramrod straight, her shoulders squared. Her skin was a few shades paler than the usual, and her golden eyes were eerily glowing, almost catlike yellow. Her hair and robes were floating away from her body, giving the illusion that she was standing under water, and she had a blank expression on her face, staring off into nothingness.

This was certainly not the norm.

"Isabella," Severus said carefully, his voice soft as to not startle her, keeping his arm raised and his wand pointed towards her.

Isabella's eyes flashed, and then she narrowed them. Her hands balled up into fists, and the sound of crumpling paper drew Severus' eyes to one of her hands, where a piece of parchment was being brutally crushed.

"She knows," Isabella said simply, turning her head slowly to face her cousin, her unnaturally yellow eyes settling down to their normal golden color.

"What happened?" Severus asked in the same soft tone as before, lowering his wand once he was sure that there was no imminent danger, and tucking it into his pocket.

Isabella was powerful, far powerful than anyone gave her credit for. Severus had not been witness to a magical outburst such as this since he and she were children, and it clued him in on what was happening. His cousin was a witch who was ruled by her emotions, and said emotions manifested themselves through her magic. When she was sick, her magic went all over the place, and when she had been pregnant, it had been torture. A sneeze had nearly set his hair on fire.

When Isabella was scared or angry, that was when her magic was at its strongest, and that was when it took the most energy out of her, so it was no surprise for Severus when his cousin's knees gave out. Luckily, he had been ready to catch her before she touched the ground.

"Isabella," Severus began once more, helping his cousin onto a kitchen chair, "what happened?"

"She knows," Isabella repeated in a shaky whisper, taking in deep breaths to calm herself. "Hermione Granger knows about Remus. She _knows_ he's a werewolf!"

"Calm yourself," Severus advised, walking away from his cousin and over to the cabinets. A nice cup of tea was what she needed to help her settle down, and maybe if he was lucky, it would put her to sleep.

Once the cups of tea were made, Severus led Isabella out to the sitting room, where he practically pushed her down onto the fluffiest armchair they owned and thrust a cup of tea in her hands.

Taking a seat across from Isabella with his own cup of tea, Severus asked, "Now, is that such a bad thing?"

Isabella glared at him. "What do you mean by that? _Of course,_ this is a bad thing! If she tells anyone—"

"How much do you know of Granger's friendship with Talia?" Severus asked in a leveled tone, quirking an eyebrow.

Isabella frowned, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. She didn't know much about Hermione's friendship with Talia. She knew that they were friends, that much was clear; Talia talked about Hermione a couple of times in her letters home, but she did not know up to what degree their friendship went.

"Their friendship is genuine," Severus continued after a pause, "they are, what you could say, the best of friends. What Talia cannot talk about with Draco, she talks about with Granger. So I ask you again: _is that such a bad thing?_"

With a sigh, Isabella shook her head. She could see what Severus was trying to say, and as much as it burned her to think it, let alone say it, Severus was right. "Keep a close eye on her, okay? I can't… I can't let Remus get hurt. He's been through so much."

"Of course," replied Severus with a nod.

"Well," Isabella sighed, setting her cup of tea down on the coffee table, "I guess I better get to cleaning the house up before Talia get's home."

"She should be due back in a couple of hours, you have time."

"So am I to assume that you will not help me?" Isabella asked feigning innocent.

Severus scoffed. "This is your mess. You deal with it. I do not have time for such… _domestic_ things. If anything, Widget will probably do all the work."

* * *

><p>Holding onto her grandmother's hand, Talia walked quietly beside the Prince matriarch as they walked down the street in Muggle London, her grandfather walking along a few paces ahead of them, leading the way. Behind them was the aid that the elder Princes' had hired for the day—they couldn't very well have their house elves trailing along behind them carrying their things, after all. The aid was busy carrying various shopping bags, which held an assortment of dresses, shoes, shirts, and per Talia's request, jeans. It was Sophia and Elijah's time to spend with their granddaughter, and they were spoiling her to no end.<p>

One could say that spoiling Talia was Sophia and Elijah's (but mostly Elijah's) way of redeeming themselves for not being more involved in Severus' horrible childhood. They did not want Talia to go without anything that she might need, unlike their nephew, who had to suffer the beatings of a muggle father who was more scared of magic than anything else.

However, they honestly did care for Talia, how could they not, after all. She looked just like her mother but with an odd pair of twinkling blue eyes, a pair of blue eyes that they now knew belonged to Remus Lupin.

Things had been tense with their daughter, what Isabella had done to Remus—the fact that she had lied, it was inexcusable, but they _were_ trying to mend their relationship.

"Why are you two so quiet?" Talia's voice snapped both Princes' out of their thoughts, making them realize that somewhere along their walk, Talia had disentangled herself from her grandmother and was now leading the way into a muggle fast-food restaurant.

"Just thinking," said both Prince's, chuckling, and sharing glances, which made Talia fake-gag.

"Get a room, you two," the eleven-year-old teased, a smile on her lips as she made her way into a booth that could hold about six people. It was one of those round-benched booths, with red leather wrapped around the bench and a round white table before it.

Talia and Sophia sat side-by-side in the center, while Elijah took one end, and the aid took the other.

"So, what are we going to eat?" asked Talia, looking around the restaurant as they waited for a server. The odd looks that she and her family were receiving made her want to laugh. She knew something like this would happen, they were dressed in the usual garb of the wizarding world—robes and cloaks, and her grandmother was sported a very stylish pointed hat. Oh, if the muggles' only knew what was happening underneath their noses…

* * *

><p>Hours later, Talia could be found nearly tripping her way out of the fireplace, arriving in her home's sitting room with enough shopping bags to keep her down at the bottom of the ocean for seven lifetimes. Eagerly she looked to the couch, where her mother would be sitting, waiting. She had so many things to tell and show her, but Isabella was nowhere to be found.<p>

The sitting room was empty.

This was odd, but Talia decided to brush it off and continue up to her bedroom. Without the use of her hands, she had to resort to kicking the door to her room open, and then proceeded to dump unceremoniously all her things by the doorframe.

A tiny squeak made her look over towards her bed.

"Brutus…" Talia gasped, rushing towards her little friend. Brutus was curled in on himself like a little white ball, his midsection heavily bandaged. "What the hell?"

There was a shift in the air and a popping sound, and then Widget's high-pitched voice cut through the air. "Widget founds Brutus with a fork sticking out of 'is side. Widget tried to help—I did, so Widget wraps him in bandages."

Talia turned around to face the little elf, asking rhetorically, "_A fork in his side?"_

"Oh yes, Miss," Widget said, nodding her head. "While Miss was away, Mistress got upset, she did—made the whole house shake and many things break. Master Snape says that Mistress is just tired and stressed; she snapped, he says."

Talia nodded her head, looking away from Widget and back to her bed, where Brutus lay curled up, unmoving.

"Why isn't he moving?" she asked softly, stroking her ferret's head.

"He's sedated," came her Uncle's voice.

Talia turned to see Severus standing in the doorway, his eyes looking down at all the shopping bags gathered around the entrance. He pulled his wand out of his coat pocket, and with a simple swish, Talia's closet door opened and her bags began to float towards it, putting themselves in her closet one after another.

"Your pet is well, I assure you," Severus spoke once more, noticing Talia's teary eyes. "I administered a sedative mixed with a blood replenishing potion. He should be up and about in the next few hours; nothing to worry about."

With a nod and a tiny smile, Talia silently thanked him.

"Widget, Isabella has just awoken from her nap. I do think she'd appreciate your company," Severus told the tiny elf, "She seems to have the beginnings of a headache, and could use a good distraction."

"Yes Master Snape," Widget said quickly, a small smile on her lips as she bowed to both Severus and Talia, before exiting the room.

Talia let out a loud sigh, and Severus proceeded to close the bedroom door behind him. He walked towards Talia, taking a seat on the edge of her bed and motioning for her to do the same beside him.

"So," Talia began, not really knowing what to say, "Mum exploded today?"

"It is a matter of adults which does not concern you," Severus said coolly, "but yes, your mother… _exploded,_ today. She was very upset."

"I hope this has nothing to do with marrying me off to Dra—"

"Do not speak such _nonsense_," Severus was quick to say, the ever-present scowl on his face deepening.

Talia chuckled, nodding. She placed her head against her Uncle's shoulder, breathing in his scent—spice, ginger, with a little extra something, which she guessed was the odd after-smell that his potions left behind. It was a very calming scent, and it made her eyes shut shortly.

Her mind was calm now, her body tired from walking around Muggle London. She'd had a nice day, one spent with her grandparents, which was always something she enjoyed to do. Her grandmother would always tell her the most interesting of stories, and send her back home with odd little trinkets she'd gathered throughout the years. Her grandfather on the other hand would sneak sweets into her pockets, and always give her a few gold coins that she could spend on whatever she'd like.

The only thing that seemed to ruin the day was Brutus's poor health and her mother's outburst. What was that all about, anyways? Her mother had gotten upset in the past, but never to the extent of hurting someone. Nevertheless, she knew she wouldn't get answers, at least not today.

"Tell me," started Severus, "how was your day with your grandparents?"

Talia's mood instantly uplifted. She let out a tiny squeal, sitting up and turning to Severus as she began telling him of all the things she and her grandparents had done while exploring Muggle London. She told him of all the things that she had gotten, of the nice aid they had hired, and of the fair they had gone too. Severus found himself enjoying the excitement and joy that radiated off his niece as she told him her story. Talia was nearly bouncing in her seat, her blue eyes alight with mirth, the biggest smile imaginable on her face as she retold him of what had happened at the fair's petting-zoo, where she had gotten to play with baby goats, and chase around piglets. It took Severus back to his seventh year at Hogwarts, when he and Isabella had been in the same position as he and Talia were currently in.

The only difference was that Talia was gushing about her adventures in Muggle London, while Isabella had been, at the time, gushing about a promise.

* * *

><p><em>The two Slytherin's sat side-by-side in the Slytherin common room, the fireplace before them alive with a crackling fire that warmed their bones. It was very late in the evening, so late that the two were the only living souls inhabiting the room—not as if that were a bad thing, though. Severus was nearly embarrassed with the way his cousin was acting; hitting his arm and bouncing in her seat, a large smile on her lips and her topaz eyes alight with joy. She was acting like a downright child, but he supposed that it was acceptable, considering the circumstances.<em>

_It could be worse, after all._

_"He promised," Isabella nearly screamed, a large smile on her face. "He promised!"_

_"You've mentioned that… three or four hundred times now," Severus said sardonically._

_Isabella just ignored him._

_"Remus promised me that we'll eventually marry," his cousin gushed, grabbing Severus' arms and shaking him. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!?"_

_"That your evil, conniving, and explicit methods of persuasion have finally paid off?" Severus asked with a small smirk._

_"… Am I really that evil and conniving?" asked Isabella innocently, letting go of her cousin's arms, a look of concentration taking over her joyful features._

_"So explicit methods were your tactic?" asked Severus in return, earning himself a slap behind the head._

_"Oh hush up, Sev," Isabella said with a wrinkled nose, "Remus is far too—"_

_"—much of a prude to make a move?"_

_SLAP._

_"Okay, I earned that one," Severus said with a small chuckle, rubbing the back of his head._

_"I was going to say that Remus is far too gentlemanly to fall for my tricks," Isabella said, her nose up in the air, and a very serious expression on her face. Her eyes on the other hand shined with happiness and laughter._

_"You wench," Severus spat with fake distaste._

_Isabella smirked. "And don't you forget it, my darling Severus Snape."_


	39. Green-Eyed Monster

The holidays had ended.

The Hogwarts Express was leaving Kings Cross, taking all the returning students back to their home-away-from-home. Talia was sleepily sitting right beside Draco, nuzzling up against his side as he had an arm wrapped around her shoulders. He too was tired, yawning occasionally and blinking several times to try and rid himself of the sleep that wanted to claim his body. The two didn't really talk to each other, though they shared a comfortable silence and occasionally would voice out their thoughts to one another.

Across from them sat Pansy and Goyle, Crabbe having been in another compartment with a pretty Slytherin girl he was trying to impress.

"I'm tired," Talia mumbled, "Can't we transfigure this bench into a bed?"

"No," Draco scoffed, "Don't you think I would have done that by now? You're not the only one who's tired, mind you."

"Honestly," Pansy snorted. "You ask such idiotic questions."

Goyle turned to Pansy and said, "That was actually a good question. I'm bloody tired too and I wouldn't mind a nice comfortable bed right about now."

Talia smirked and nuzzled her nose against Draco's side obnoxiously, causing an evil glint to flash across Pansy's eyes, while Goyle merely rested his head against the window, yawning and dozing off. Draco had noticed the evil glare Pansy was shooting Talia, and how Talia was excessively cuddling up against him. A smirk made its way up onto his lips, and he casually tightened his embrace around Talia's shoulders, which made her look up at him. Slowly, he leaned down and turned his head to the side slightly so that his lips were close to Talia's ear, yet he could have Pansy in the corner of his eye.

"I know what you're trying to do," he whispered. "You are evil, you know that, right?"

"She deserves it," Talia shot back while suppressing a laugh, letting one of her arms snake up and wrap around Draco's neck.

"She **is **an annoying chit," Draco whispered back. "Now giggle and pretend that I said something dirty."

Talia's cheeks instantly turned a light shade of pink, and she giggled genuinely. What Draco had said had been just too funny. Not being able to help herself, Talia leaned back and smiled up at Draco, baring all her teeth in what one would describe as a fake smile, Draco looking down at her with a matching smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You know," Talia said in a flirtatious voice, loud enough for Pansy to hear, "I think I left my jumper in your bedroom."

Draco raised an eyebrow, his own cheeks turning a light shade of pink. As casually as he could, he said, "Not to worry. I'll hang it up in my closet and keep it for you for when you spend the night again."

To that, they both got the reaction that they wanted, which was a very animalistic growl from Pansy who tried to cover it with a cough. Draco and Talia instantly laughed, Draco unwrapping his arms from Talia's waist and her doing to same to his neck.

"I just love our _relationship_," Talia said in a very amused and pointed way, making Draco catch on quickly.

"I _love_ our relationship too," he said sweetly, eyeing Pansy from the corner of his eye, who was currently in the process of crossing her arms and glaring down at her lap.

_We're so evil_, Talia thought, getting comfortable once again beside Draco by nuzzling up against him, _stupid girl deserves it though._

* * *

><p>Divination with Trelawney had proved to be interesting in the sense that it's comedic value made up for the lack of actual educational content. Draco, as he had promised, stood waiting for Talia at the bottom of the stone staircase that led up to the Divination professor's classroom, hands in his pockets and his ever loyal group of followers surrounding him. He had started to escort Talia to-and-from classes at the beginning of the term to keep her from getting lost, but now he just kept to it for fun and leisure, enjoying the conversations they'd have during passing-period.<p>

"Why hello there, kind sir," Talia grinned as she hopped down the last two steps of the spiral staircase, skipping up to Draco and giving him a large smile.

"Miss Natalia," he grinned back.

As the two walked, they began to laugh and joke around, Talia recalling the horrible lesson that Trelawney had tried to teach. Quietly, Pansy observed from her place behind them, Crabbe and Goyle on either side of her. Ever since that… _moment,_ on the train, she had noticed that Draco and Talia were friends once more, and much to her distaste, they were acting very suspiciously. Draco had been far too touchy-feely with Talia, and it was something that burned her to the core. Pansy was now genuinely worried that there was something going on between them, something official that neither one had decided to share with the rest of their house.

"Give me your hand and I will tell you your future," Draco said with a laugh, not waiting for a response from Talia as he gently grabbed her hand and with his index finger, began to trace the lines on her palm.

"Drake, you bimbo," Talia laughed loudly, causing heads to turn and look at her in shock.

Draco didn't even seem to mind.

The blonde Slytherin had on a large smile and intertwined his fingers with Talia's, holding her hand for a few silent seconds before he unlaced his fingers from hers and brought up an arm to snake around her shoulders.

_He's got the most beautiful smile_, Pansy thought as she stared at Draco and Talia, _why can't I make him smile like that?_

"Draco, stop being such a pest," Talia said with an obviously fake sigh of frustration. "Walk with me to kitchens, yes?"

_"_You can't seriously be hungry," Draco asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Well yes, I am serious, and I am most definitely hungry."

Draco groaned and rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he said, "How can you be hungry after raiding my Chocolate Frog stash? I had about 20, you know."

"Well, you should have learned by now never to let me know where you hide your things," Talia said with a cheeky grin, adding, "and your passwords too. You should never let me know those as well."

With a laugh, Draco simply replied with, "Well, that kind of defeats the purpose of telling your best friend everything, doesn't it?"

Pansy felt something stab at her heart, though she wasn't going to succumb to tears. Not here, and not now; she was too good for that.

_Keep your friends close and your enemies closer_, she thought bitterly, glaring at the back of both Draco and Talia's heads as they separated from the group of students and snuck off towards the kitchens.

* * *

><p>Loud bells chimed in a short sequence, echoing all throughout Hogwarts, signaling the end of class for the Hogwarts students. Draco threw his hands up and let out a sigh, exclaiming that it was about time the school day ended. He was currently seated in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and he wanted nothing more than to get the Hell out of there.<p>

"I'd like a foot long essay summarizing today's reading," Remus called out to his students. "Have it ready by Monday and we'll look it over during class."

Draco rolled his eyes. Quickly he gathered all his supplies, dumping them into his schoolbag. He was eager to leave class, but suddenly, Talia's voice rang through the air, causing him to pause.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had—"

"Madame Hooch ended class early because some boy in Ravenclaw fell off his broomstick and broke his back," Talia informed him quickly. "So I decided to come say hello… and I got an essay I need Professor Lupin to look over."

"Why not do that tomorrow during your class time?" Draco nearly whined. Merlin, how he wanted to leave already…

"I thought about it, but I rather get it done now so that I don't have to do it tomorrow."

"Oh c'mon, I was going to show you the—"

A cough came from behind Draco, making Talia step to the side and Draco turn on his heels to see whom the cough had come from. Remus, looking tired and pale, stood there nonchalantly with his hands tucked in his pockets, a slightly dark glint in his eyes as he stared down at Draco.

"Is there a problem?" Remus asked his students casually, causing both Talia and Draco to look up at him with confused expressions.

"There's no problem, sir," Talia replied quickly, for she knew that Draco would blurt out something insulting.

"It seemed to me that Draco had been bothering you," and with that, Remus slightly narrowed his eyes in a glare as he looked down his nose at Draco.

"I wasn't bothering her," Draco spat, narrowing his own eyes as he looked up at the tall Defense professor.

Before Draco began his slew of insults, Talia quickly took a step forwards and gently took Draco's sleeve, looking up at him as she said, "It was just a misunderstanding, sir."

"No it—"

"Draco," Talia said harshly, and then lowered her voice so that she could whisper, "Cut it out. I don't want you getting into trouble."

Draco sighed, but Talia's hand on his sleeve, tugging gently, made him nod and give up. Curtly he said to his professor, "I was just leaving."

"_Splendid_," Remus quickly blurted out, a triumphant smirk settling on his lips. "How about I walk you to the door? I do believe that Miss Snape had something for me to look over, yes?"

"Yeah," agreed Talia with a small smile.

"Whatever," mumbled Draco with a glare.

Talia frowned, crossing her arms and hopping onto Draco's desk. Who was Remus kidding? He was being the typical jealous and overprotective father, and he was doing it too boldly and too proudly. It kind of made her smile, though.

"You do realize," Talia stared off after Remus had closed and locked the door behind Draco, "that you've practically told off a Malfoy. That is about the equivalent of pissing mum off, which is not pretty, might I add. Our house elf told me that she nearly blew up the house when—"

Remus ignored everything that was being said and engulfed Talia in a tight embrace, muffling the rest of her speech.

"I've missed you," Remus said gently, letting go of Talia and smiling down at her.

"What are you talking about?" Talia asked with a frown, "You've seen me in class. And what the heck was that all about with Dra—"

"We've yet to spend proper time with one another," Remus explained, dodging the topic of 'Draco', "and I've got news to tell you about Sirius, as well as a belated Christmas present."

The mention of Sirius and a belated Christmas present was far more than enough to make Talia forget about how strangely Remus had acted towards Draco. She soon found herself eagerly tugging on her father's sleeve, dragging him up the stairs to his office so that they could talk properly. She was anxious in getting information on Sirius, and she wasn't going to deny that a belated Christmas present wasn't something she was looking forward too as well.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Talia stared down at the little velvet box in her hands, not really knowing if it was a good idea to open it. There was just something about the unknown contents of the little box that made her nervous. Holding it in her hands, it felt as if it weighed millions of stones when in reality it hardly weighed anything at all. Maybe the things that Remus had told her had put a damper on her mood: the Ministry had given all dementors permission to administer the "Kiss" to Sirius, leaving him a soul-less former shell of himself if he were to ever get caught. It had taken everything in Talia to not dissolve into tears at the sudden unwanted news.<p>

"What's that you got there?"

The sudden voice of Draco scared Talia, making her jump in fright and almost fall out of bed and hit the wooden floor. In her sudden fright, Talia had let go of the velvet box in her hand and it had been tossed in the air, Draco easily catching it with one hand.

"How the bloody Hell do you do it?" Talia asked while regaining her breath.

"It's a simple spell," Draco said innocently, "I told you about it before leaving for Christmas, remember? The 7th years taught it to me."

Talia nodded, wondering if the spell Draco used to prevent the stairs from collapsing was the same one she used when she'd sneak into the boy's dormitory to nick things from his trunk.

"Who gave you this ring?" Draco asked, snapping Talia back into reality.

"You opened it!?" Talia exclaimed with an irritated sigh, "I haven't even opened it yet."

Draco rolled his eyes and hopped onto Talia's bed, drawing the curtains and muttering a quick silencing charm to prevent anyone who'd happen to walk into the room from hearing his or Talia's voice. The last thing he needed was one of the girls that shared the dorm with Talia to tell on him. Thankfully the dorm was currently empty.

"Where is everyone?" he asked casually, tossing Talia the now closed velvet box and laying himself down on his stomach beside her sitting form.

"The first years have a potions review test today," Talia said casually, repositioning herself so that she was lying down on her stomach besides Draco.

"Really?" Draco asked in disbelief, propping himself up on his elbows. "Glad I'm not a first year anymore."

"Me too," Talia chuckled, looking down at the velvet box.

"But… you **are** a first year."

Talia blushed. "Oh, you know what I mean."

Draco chuckled.

"So, who gave you that ring?" he asked, nudging Talia in the side, a teasing smirk on his lips. "Do I have competition?"

Talia rolled her eyes and laughed, leaning sideways and resting her head on Draco's shoulder.

"It was a belated Christmas present," she said truthfully, "so you shouldn't be worried."

"But who gave it to you?" Draco pressed on, genuinely curious.

"My grandma," Talia lied easily.

"So, why don't you open it?" he asked, noticing that Talia had yet to open the box since he'd given it back.

Rolling her eyes, Talia sat up straight, opening the box. There, in the middle of a tiny blue cushion, was a tiny ring in what looked like platinum, one small round diamond adorning it. Talia's eyebrows nearly reached her forehead in surprise as she stared down at the ring.

_"Don't open it here. Open it when you get back to your dormitory…"_

Talia now understood why Remus wanted her to open his gift when she got back to her dormitory. Tears welled up in her eyes and she took in a shaky breath. Draco, sensing that something was wrong, sat up quickly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Why are you crying?" he asked quietly.

Talia shook her head. "It's nothing," she mumbled, wiping the tears from her eyes, "I'm just… Well, it was unexpected."

Draco looked at Talia curiously, nodding his head. He took the ring box from her and plucked the ring from the cushion, slipping the ring on her left-hand middle finger.

"There," he said with a smile, "it's a bit loose, but a good shrinking charm should do the trick."

Talia smiled and shook her head, looking up from the ring and into Draco's eyes. Not looking away from him, she stuck a hand down the neck of her shirt and pulled out the locket that Sirius gave her, the locket that she never took off, not since Christmas.

"I'll put it here," she said, looking away from Draco.

"Let me help," he said softly, not waiting for Talia to reply as he lifted his arms and wrapped them around her, resting his chin on her shoulder and unclasping the locker from her neck. Leaning away from her, locket in hand, he said, "Who got you this anyways? It's very… _Slytherin._ It's got little snakes on it and everything. I approve."

Talia smiled, letting Draco place the locket on the palm of her hand before saying, "One of my Uncles gave it to me."

Draco watched Talia as she took her ring off and slipped it on the chain of her locket, then re-clasped her locket back around her neck. Something warm shot through him in that moment, something he couldn't quite explain, though it was a tiny feeling that he didn't mind, not really. He felt his chest tighten as he watched her; the way her hair was messily help up by a purple ribbon, and how her cheeks were flushed from her crying… No. He quickly shook the feelings away. She was his best friend. He couldn't feel these things for her.

It wasn't right… but it felt so deliciously good.


	40. Of Ravencrofts and Ravenclaws

The sound of heels clicking echoed throughout the halls of Hogwarts, loud and sharp, determined, with a purpose. Black robes billowed behind a slender figure, swirling and mixing with the fabric of the royal blue dress that dragged along the floor underneath it. The figure was that of a woman, and she quickly turned a corner, entering Gryffindor Tower, her eyes meeting with the many flights of moving staircases that were a trademark of the tower. There was a slight shift from underneath her black cloak, and then a slender arm was being raised. She held a 10 ½ inch wand made of pale holly in her hands, delicately crafted with little crescent moons adorning the wood around the hilt. She wove the wand once in the direction of a specific set of stairs, her lips forming the spell she'd been advised to use.

_"Aresto Momentum."_

The stairs slowly came to a halt, and she climbed them slowly. At the landing, her golden eyes soon caught sight of four people standing outside of a large portrait, one of those people being Albus Dumbledore, who quickly caught sight of the woman.

"Isabella," he greeted.

"Hello, Albus," she said. "I'm afraid I don't really comprehend why my presence is needed tonight."

Dumbledore smiled and kept silent, motioning towards the portrait which held Sir Cadogan, where the other people were standing in front of, patiently waiting. There was Minerva McGonagall, Severus, and Remus. At the sight of the latter, Isabella, out of reflex, held her breath. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest at the mere sight of him—had it been that long since she'd last seen him? Merlin, the mere sight of that man made her knees weak. Oh how she missed being in his presence. The letters they exchanged on occasion were not enough, not nearly.

"Minerva, Severus… Remus," Isabella said softly as a way of greeting, saying Remus' name in a near breathy whisper.

Minerva smiled, Severus gave her a curt nod, and Remus replied with an equally breathy, "Isabella."

It appeared that Isabella wasn't the only one with weak knees tonight.

"We had an… _altercation_ of sorts, earlier this evening," Albus began. "Sirius Black has broken into the Gryffindor common room, his aim of the night being one, Ronald Weasley."

"Oh my," Isabella nearly gasped. She could not believe it. Something must have happened. It wasn't in Sirius' nature. She had seen how loving he was towards Talia. To think that he'd hurt a child… it was unheard of. Sirius was mad, but he was not _that_ mad.

"A terrible thing, I know, but this is why you were asked to join us this evening."

Isabella's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Albus, I'm afraid I don't see how I can possibly fit into any of this."

"Severus has made it known to us that you posses a certain skill that can aid us tonight."

Isabella couldn't help but to look at her cousin.

"We want you to perform Legilimency on the Weasley child," Severus spoke stiffly.

"What," Isabella was dumbfounded. "To perform Legilimency on a child—that's unheard of; my skills in that area aren't really all that—"

Severus shook his head, letting out a frustrated sigh. He hated when his cousin became difficult. "We must know why Black wanted to harm Weasley rather than Potter."

"I won't do it," Isabella said stubbornly, "I _can't_ do it. I am far more skilled in Occlumency then I am in Legilimency. Why can't **you** do it?"

Severus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He looked away from his cousin and over to Dumbledore, saying, "Excuse us for a moment," before he steered Isabella up the nearest staircase, away from curious ears. This was not a conversation he wanted others to hear, because he knew that Isabella would surely send him to Hell and back once he explained what they **_really_** wanted her to do, and he wanted to keep some semblance of dignity intact.

"The Legilimency that you perform is not the Legilimency known to others and therefore it is **your skills** that are needed tonight, **not** mine," Severus explained in a hushed tone. "All _known_ practitioners of Legilimency have the ability to penetrate **one** person's mind at a time, but you... You can see into more than one mind, and while in a person's memory, you have the natural ability to read the minds of additional people within the memory that you are in. You are the only one that can do this, as far as I know."

"Severus," Isabella said darkly, "what have you told them?"

"I told them that you can be of use to us."

Topaz eyes flashed to yellow, and Isabella had to restrain herself from slapping Severus. She had had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach once Legilimency had been mentioned, and now that she knew why she was truly here, it made her want to hide.

Her "special skill," was something she'd discovered in her sixth year at Hogwarts while practicing Legilimency and Occlumency with Severus. It was a skill that she had made him promise to tell no one about because it was rare, and she did not want to be used for it nor studied on.

She would be no one's guinea pig.

There was only one other person that Isabella knew of who could do it, and it happened to be her great-great-great (great times ten… _more or less_) grandmother from her mother's side of the family.

"How _could_ you?" she spat, eyes narrowed, "I told you that in **confidence**. Do you not understand what that word means? You promised me you would tell no one. How can I trust you after this?"

That stung Severus, and he glared back at Isabella, saying through gritted teeth, "Would you rather I tell them that you and Natalia are Rowena Ravenclaw's _descendant_s—her **_heiresses_**?"

"You wouldn't _dare_," Isabella said softly, anger forgotten, her face going pale. NO ONE could know that Rowena Ravenclaw had _living_ descendants. It was dangerous; the things that could be done to them for information or money, the questions people would want answered—it was why they had changed the family name to Ravencroft. It was why some of them had gone into hiding.

The Ravencrofts wanted to remain anonymous.

No. It couldn't happen. The Ravencroft's secret couldn't be known. Severus wouldn't. He **could not**.

The sad thing was that Isabella knew Severus would go through with his threat. He was a man of his word, no matter _wh_o might be caught in the crossfire.

"You can't, Sev," said Isabella after a moment, her face softened, but with eyebrows slightly furrowed in a halfhearted glare.

"Try me," Severus spat, his head held high, his trademark scowl marring his features. How _dare_ Isabella doubt him; had he not proved himself to her already?

"Fine," Isabella said, letting out a resigned sigh, "I'll do it. Just… don't expect much. I haven't done this since I was a student."

Severus' scowl softened for a moment. It had been a crass thing of him to say, but he was livid, and he blurted out the first thing that came to mind that he knew would hurt her deeply. Alas, there was no going back, and with a curt nod, he said quietly, "All that I ask of you is that you _try_."

Isabella gave him a small smile. _Apology accepted, Sev._


	41. The Rat

The Gryffindor common room hadn't changed much since the last time Isabella had been there… some 15 or so years ago. The same crimson walls made up the vast yet cozy room, accented by golden patterns running along the wallpaper; the same maroon couches were placed in front of the large fireplace, forming a semicircle. It even smelled the same—of old books and burning wood, with a hint of butter beer, and cinnamon.

There were a few new additions, but nothing major. There were more bookshelves, extra chairs and tables, a couple of new desks too. Portraits had been taken down or moved onto new walls, and a few new paintings had been brought in too, adorning the vacant spaces left by portraits moved.

However, despite the little things changing, it was still the same place where Isabella and Remus had fallen in love, and it brought back memories of simpler times, when all she had to worry about was getting good marks in her classes, and making Remus smile.

Just standing by the fire reminded Isabella of times during the colder months when the Slytherin common room would be too unbearably freezing to stay in, no matter how many charms the professors would cast on it. She'd sneak into the Gryffindor common room during the night, wearing neutral colors as to not cause a fuss, and Remus would always be right there, sitting in front of the fire with a blanket and a book, waiting for her. Oh, how times had changed…

"I haven't done this in years," Isabella said quietly, pacing in front of the fireplace, her hands fiddling with the silver seashell pendent that hung from her neck—her Christmas gift from Severus, who had admitted that he'd gotten help from their cousin Seraphina when he'd picked out that piece of jewelry.

"You will do fine," Severus reassured her calmly.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked with a sigh. "I cannot even penetrate _your_ mind. How about if I can't—"

In that moment, Dumbledore and McGonagall descended from a set of stone steps in the back of the room, a very scared and very curious Ronald Weasley trailing along behind them. His ginger hair was windswept, his pajamas rumpled, and in his arms, he held on tightly to a white pillow, hugging it to his chest. The boy looked downright terrified, and the mother in Isabella was quick to react.

"Hello again, Ron," Isabella said softly, striding up to him and pulling him into a hug, "You do remember me, right? From the train station…"

"Y-yes," Ron's voice croaked, muffled slightly against Isabella's chest.

"Now, no need to be frightened," Isabella said, smoothing back his hair and stepping away from him, "everything will be just fine, you just wait and see."

Remus silently watched the interaction from his place in the corner of the room, his blue eyes sparkling and his heart hammering in his ribcage. Isabella affected him like no one else, and he supposed it had to do with the mark she bared on her skin. The mark he gave her long ago, the mark that **_made _**her his.

Werewolves did not like sharing mates. They were jealous creatures, very protective of what was theirs, and so they mated for life, and they marked their mates to strengthen their bond and to ensure that no other males would move in on what was theirs. Being alone for the past years had kept the bond Remus made dormant, but now with Isabella back in his life –with _Talia_-, he could almost feel it come back to life.

The feelings for Isabella had always been there, deep down in the very depths of his heart, but now they were stronger, smothering, making him want to pounce on her and claim what was his once more. He wanted to sink his teeth in the skin on the back of her neck, to re-mark her; to make sure that what he'd started would not be undone. Isabella was not a werewolf after all, and so the bond worked differently with her. If she wanted she could leave, pair off with another male—Remus would just have to try hard to prevent that from happening.

Taking in a deep breath Remus closed his eyes for a moment, letting his senses flare. He could smell her from across the room—lavender, powder, and flowery musk. It made him light headed. He wanted to touch her, to run his fingers through her silky black hair, to stare into those topaz eyes that were always alight with love and mirth whenever she looked at him. He wanted to laugh with her, to walk with her, to hold her, to wake up to her every morning for the rest of his days. He wanted her to sing him to sleep on the mornings of rough full moons, to feel her heartbeat underneath his ear as he'd rest his head on her chest, to taste her, to call her his once more in every sense of the word.

Remus Lupin needed her like a drug, but he had no idea how to go about it. It wasn't the same as it was back in their youth.

By the time Remus was able to disentangle himself from his thoughts and emotions, Isabella and Ron were already seated by the fire, talking quietly.

"How will it work?" Ron asked timidly, hugging his pillow to his chest.

Isabella smiled a soft, loving smile. "It won't hurt," she said softly. "You'll only feel a slight pressure—a tickle, really. You might even find it… _cool._"

Remus chuckled softly, a light smile on his lips.

"Okay," Ron said, taking in a deep breath. "What do I have to do?"

"Well, you can let go of your pillow for starters. The poor thing is getting the life squeezed out of it," Isabella told Ron teasingly, making Ron's face heat up, turning red like a tomato, out of embarrassment.

"R-right," he said, his voice going up an octave. Quickly he discarded his pillow, letting it drop to the ground. "What now?"

"Close your eyes and relax," Isabella instructed, leaning forwards and taking Ron's hands in hers. "Let your most recent memories of tonight come to the surface. Focus on nothing else except what has happened tonight… focus on _him._"

Ron paled a bit, but nodded nonetheless. Taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes, hesitantly he said, "I… I'm ready."

_"Legilimens_," Isabella whispered.

Bushy brown hair, the loud hiss of a cat, and the Gryffindor rally cry were the first things to flood Isabella's mind—Ron wasn't focusing. That was not what she wanted, and so she pushed further until she found herself standing in the corner of the dormitory that housed a small portion of the third year Gryffindor boys. Through the room's only window streamed in light from a quarter-filled moon, basking parts of the room in a blue glow. She could hardly see anything as it were (standing from her place within the shadows), but there was no mistaking the figure that crept through the darkness, keeping away from anywhere the moonlight touched… a metal knife gleaming in hand.

It was Sirius Black, no doubt about it.

He crept through the room, looking crazed and wild; his silver eyes glowing with hate. He was muttering to himself as he approached Ron's bed, wheezing chuckles leaving his lips as he nearly bounced on the balls of his feet with morbid joy and anticipation.

No. This could not be her Sirius. This was **NOT** her friend! He wouldn't harm an innocent child! Something must have happened!

_"The rat; I need the traitor,"_ his voice came to her like a whisper in the back of her mind.

They were his thoughts, and they left Isabella pale and sick. _I knew it._

_"Peter, oh, you'll get your due…"_

In the blink of an eye Sirius was before Ron's bed, slashing at the bed curtains that surrounded it, striking blindly and hoping to hit Ron's rat.

Soon after Ron began screaming, alerting the dormitory of their unwanted visitor.

Quickly Isabella pulled herself out of Ron's mind, the scene vanishing before her like smoke. She was back in the Gryffindor common room. Ron was sitting in front of her, looking bewildered and scared.

"I… I don't want to do that again," he said softly, looking down at his lap.

Isabella knew that Ron had seen two memories in that instant. The first having been Sirius' memory of his account before the attack (something she had gathered from his presence in Ron's mind), and the screaming and whatever had happened afterward had been Ron's memories. Together they had made the complete scene Isabella had witnessed, giving her a full view of what happened.

Ron, to see the attack from a new perspective, was something new for him, and it left him feeling vulnerable and sacred. Thankfully, he was not privy to the thoughts that Isabella had gathered from Sirius; those were things that she alone would be able to hear, and no one else.

"Don't worry sweetheart, you'll never have to go through something like that again," Isabella promised him.

Ron smiled halfheartedly. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Isabella said with a small smile. "Now, off you trot, you best be asleep within the hour, you need your rest."

Obediently, Ron rose from his seat and grabbed his pillow off the ground, giving Isabella one last shy smile before he excused himself and went back up to bed.

"Isabella," began Dumbledore once they were sure Ron was inside the dormitory, his tone questioning, "What have you gathered?"

_Oh, what did I _**not**_ gather_, Isabella thought sarcastically.

Peter wasn't just any old random rat—he was **Ron's** rat.

Lady Fate was a twisted soul indeed.

This had suddenly turned too personal for Isabella, and so she said the first thing that came to her mind. "Sirius Black is still in the castle."

She knew not if Sirius was actually in the castle or miles away; she hoped he was miles away by now, for his own sake. However, what she did know was that Ron had not been his target, and that this was something she now had to discuss with Remus and Remus alone. The mere thought made her tremble.

"The students should be fine. I doubt that he would attack again, but it would not hurt to reinforce the wards at all entrances…"

"Isabella," Severus spoke up, looking at her with slightly narrowed eyes. He could tell that something was off, she was veering off topic and trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. Something she had seen had shaken her, and he would make sure to find out. "What did you _see?_"

Isabella stared at her cousin, her mask firmly in place as she said, "He made a mistake. He was not after Ron. He got the wrong**_ person._**"

The suggestive nature of that last word caught Remus' attention. It only took him a moment and a look to understand what she was trying to say. The realization made his blue eyes widen just a bit, and a cold sweat covered his body. _Oh, Sirius, you bloody idiot…_

Severus merely nodded. He could feel it in his bones that Isabella was not telling him everything, but he would leave the matter alone for now. If he pressed too hard Isabella would put up all her guards and keep him away, and he could not have that.

Things were definitely not what they seemed.

* * *

><p>Dumbledore sat behind his desk, a cup of tepid lemon and honey tea held aloof within his hands. Sitting across from him on their own respective armchairs were Isabella and Remus, they too holding cups of tea. Severus and McGonagall had been sent out to gather the other professors in one of the staff rooms, inform them of what had transpired that evening, and then head out in groups around the castle, reinforcing the protective enchantments, along with checking in on the students.<p>

The absence of her cousin was a welcomed one, Isabella had to admit; Severus was far too intuitive for his own good, but the knowing look that Dumbledore was giving her didn't make her feel any better about lying.

The old wizard knew _far_ too much.

"What seems to be troubling you?"

_Damn it…_

"Nothing, Albus," Isabella said as cool as could be, "I'm just… thinking about what I saw."

"What exactly did you see, Isabella?" Dumbledore asked her gently.

"I… it was odd," she said lamely, looking down at her lap. "I don't know how to explain it."

She'd been dodging the question until know, giving vague answers and feigning confusing, hoping that the subject would be dropped, but that was certainly not the case when it came to Dumbledore. He wanted to know what she'd seen down to the very last detail, and it made her nervous. She would have to lie some more, or try to supply half-truths without slipping.

Isabella didn't want to keep lying. She'd done enough of that lately.

It could be worse, she supposed—Severus _could_ be in the room, but thankfully, he wasn't.

"What did you read from him when he came into view?" Remus asked, trying to facilitate things for her. He disliked seeing her so uncomfortable, so the least he could do in a situation such as this was to give Isabella something to focus on instead of worrying about the big picture.

The sooner they were done talking to Dumbledore, the sooner he could talk to her…

Isabella looked up from her lap and into Remus' eyes. He looked so tired. She supposed she looked equally as tired—it being the middle of the night and all. It pained her to see Remus like this. He needed to be sleeping, he needed to rest; she could go without a full night's sleep, but he could not. He was not weak by any means, she knew this, but a man with his condition needed to be treated with extra care.

_Oh, bleeding heart, why are you torturing me so?_

Looking away from Remus and into Dumbledore's eyes, Isabella said, "Sirius' mind was frazzled. I couldn't get anything clear from him, but what I do know is that he hadn't meant to harm Ron. He ran off, after all. If Ron were meant to be Sirius' target do you not think that Sirius would have stayed to… _finish_ the job?"

Dumbledore hummed in contemplation, and Isabella could swear that he was looking into her very soul, but he then turned to Remus, and she nearly let out a large sigh of relief.

"Remus, would you have any clue as to where Sirius Black might be at this very moment? Maybe some… hidden _passageway_ that you might know of?"

Remus struggled for the right words to say, not liking the way the headmaster had said the word 'passageway'. Dumbledore was implying something, and Remus didn't even want to dwell on what could currently be whizzing by the old wizard's mind.

"If he were smart enough then he'd be miles away by now," Isabella quickly interjected.

Remus shot her a look, but Isabella was looking down at her cup of tea, a look of indifference on her facial features. Yet, he knew what she'd done: she'd given him a way out, just as he'd given her one moments earlier.

"I do not think Sirius would linger after the commotion that was caused. From what I remember, he can do things impulsively, but he isn't stupid."

Seconds passed, and after what seemed like forever, Dumbledore dismissed them, telling them that he had all the information he needed.

Isabella and Remus couldn't have gotten out of that room fast enough.

Walking through the stone corridors side-by-side, Isabella and Remus went without speaking to each other. It was only when they reached the corridor before the Great Hall that Remus stopped walking, placing a hesitant hand on Isabella's shoulder to stop her from moving forwards.

"We need to talk," he said quietly, looking down at her with a pained expression.

Isabella's heart nearly leapt out of her ribcage. It was one thing to be with him when in the company of others, but right now, standing with him and him alone—it was almost intimate.

"Right now?" she whispered.

"Right now," he repeated, giving her a curt nod.

Isabella nodded and allowed Remus to steer her in a different direction...

They were headed towards his private quarters.


	42. Trust Me

There was always something intimate about being in your own bedchamber.

It was a _completely_ different story when being in _another's_…

* * *

><p>It had been a good five minutes since entering Remus' private quarters, and despite having a topic of conversation that needed the upmost of attention, Remus and Isabella couldn't find the strength to open their mouths and say what was on their minds. They sat across from one another on the small round table placed before the bedroom window, fiddling with their hands, or in Isabella's case, twirling strands of black curls between pale fingers.<p>

Candles floated all about the room, giving it a cozy warm glow.

They needed to talk about Peter. Peter Pettigrew, the rat, the traitor, the reason Sirius was considered a crazed murdered—the reason why Lily and James had perished so easily.

Thinking about Peter brought fire to Isabella's veins. Peter, who was sweet, kind, and soft spoken; who would always offer his meager services to be seen in a better light… She couldn't believe it. He was a coward at best, shy and awkward, and yet he'd looked into the eyes of darkness and survived.

He had sold his friends to protect his own skin.

"I can't believe it…" Isabella whispered at last, the words coming out of her mouth easily. Her chest tightened, her throat went dry, and her eyes began to sting the more she thought about all that had been lost because of Peter. "If only Sirius hadn't of switched with Peter; if he'd only stayed James' and Lily's Secret Keeper... My friends, gone... because of that _rat._

"Sirius, he… he tried to kill him. His thoughts, he said: _The rat; I need the traitor. Peter, oh, you'll get your due…_ but he, he went about the whole thing the wrong way. If only Ron hadn't of screamed… then maybe we could have some peace; it's just, I'm sick of all this. It needs to end!"

Remus felt her pain; oh, did he feel it well. The place in his heart reserved for his friends would be forever lacking that extra something—James' jokes, Lily's kind words, the friendship between them that had been so easily forged and with so much love… it was all gone. Gone and to forever be lived in memories, all because of that _rat._

Peter's animagus could not have been any more accurate.

And poor Sirius, who had tried to set things right the only way he knew how. Oh, how he must be feeling, knowing that Peter slipped through his fingers yet again, knowing that he had been betrayed by someone who he'd considered a brother...

"It's always the quiet ones they warn us to stay away from," Remus said softly, a small smile on his lips and a sad look in his eyes.

To that, Isabella softly scoffed; a tiny sarcastic smirk settled on her lips as she said, "Good thing I was never really quiet."

The sad look left Remus' eyes, and a more genuine smile graced his lips. "I do believe that was one of your problems—you would _never_ shut up."

Isabella laughed quietly, the stinging in her eyes completely gone, the pain in her chest alleviated, her throat no longer dry. With amusement now dancing in her eyes she said, "I remember James had a set of scarves he'd charmed to wrap around mine and Lily's mouths whenever we'd start to gossip."

"I remember those…"

A comfortable silence settled between the two, and they smiled at one another. Sadly, their mirth did not last but a few seconds. The smiles they wore grew small until they were replaced by frowns.

Their friends would forever remain in pictures and memories, and the fact pained them.

"You miss her, don't you?" Remus asked gently.

"Of course," Isabella said softly, feeling that bothersome stinging come back to her eyes with vengeance, "she was my best friend. She was there for me when others couldn't be, she helped me immensely when I found myself in times of trouble. She… she was my _sister_, and I—I miss her so... so much..."

Isabella could say no more; tears broke free from their dam and cascaded down her cheeks, and the most heart retching of sobs escaped her lips, one that she tried to muffle with her hands. It was all too much. When Remus had owled her all those weeks ago, asking her to come to the Black Lake to surprise Talia, he had included in his letter the fact that Peter was alive. He'd explained it all to her in detail, and Isabella had been shocked, but not as moved as she was right now. She had found out everything through words, but to actually see the chain of events linking up all around them, it was so much more—it made it all real.

Remus could not sit before her and see her in such a state, so throwing caution to the wind, he rose from his chair quickly and walked over to Isabella's side. Gently her lowered her hands from her mouth, and kneeled down before her, hands held firmly in his.

"We'll end it, Isabella," he said with conviction.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked in return, her vision blurred by tears.

"Because I can feel it," he said softly, feeling his own eyes prickle with tears. "You have to trust me, Isabella."

"I never stopped," she replied in the softest of whispers, giving Remus' hands a light squeeze.


	43. The Brightest Witch

Yawning loudly, Talia walked up the stairs from the dungeons and towards the Great Hall for breakfast, tired and cranky. She hated waking up earlier than she was used too, especially on a day free of classes, but the gossiping voices of her fellow students had roused her from her slumber and she couldn't go back to sleep, no matter how hard she'd tried.

Yes, she was aware that Sirius Black had been in the Gryffindor common room the night before, and because of him, the whole school was on high alert… not to mention the usual amount of gossip had nearly quadrupled. She was scared for him, naturally; the simple fact that he'd nearly been caught had set her teeth on edge, but enough was enough. He wasn't in the castle anymore (thank Merlin), and so everyone just needed to _shut_ the bloody hell _up_ about it—but they didn't.

By Merlin's ravens, she just wanted to sleep!

Talia was running on about four hours of sleep because she'd been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night just to assure her Uncle Sev that she was safe and sound, and no matter how much she loved her Uncle Sirius, **no one** got in the way of her and sleep. It was just one of those things on Talia's _Do-Not-Do List_.

The next time she saw her Uncle Sirius, **_if_** she saw him, she'd make sure to let him know that if he wished to cause a scandal, to do it during the day time.

Walking through the Great Hall's immense doors, Talia was surprised to hear snippets of conversations not revolving around Sirius, but on the elusive _Mrs. Snape_. What was her mother doing here?

Isabella Snape stood at the head of the Slytherin table, doing something that Talia couldn't have imagined in a million years, not even in the dizziest of daydreams.

"Talia's here," Draco muttered against Isabella's hands, which were cupping his cheeks, smushing his face together. The tips of his ears were a rather loud shade of scarlet, and Talia could literally _smell_ the embarrassment rolling off him in waves as she walked towards them.

_Oh, this is priceless!_

"Oh, I know," Isabella said darkly, a small smirk on her lips as she caught Talia's amused stare.

"Aunt Izzy," Draco mumbled, his gray eyes slightly narrowing, "let me _go_."

Isabella chuckled and leaned down quickly, kissing Draco's forehead before he could weasel himself out of her grasp, and then with a graceful pivot, turned in Talia's direction, greeting her with a soft, "Hello, my love."

"Hi mum," Talia greeted her, trying painfully not to burst into a fit of laughter, aware of the look Draco was giving her (and anyone else who dared to snicker). _I dare you to laugh_, it nearly shouted, and so Talia struggled with maintaining passive features.

"You look very _casual_," Isabella was quick to say, looking at her daughter from head to toe with a rather pained expression. Talia's hair had been pulled back in a messy braid, and her uniform had various wrinkles in it. Her shirt wasn't even buttoned down correctly!

Oh, that would simply not do.

With a quick wave of Isabella's wand, Talia's hair was now in a neat French braid, and her uniform looked perfectly pressed. _Much better._

Talia, of course, was mortified. She could just feel the eyes on her, and hear the snickering going on behind her back. How embarrassing was it to have your mother set you right in front of nearly all the student body of Hogwarts? Well, at least it wasn't as embarrassing as what her mother had done to Draco…

"Anyways," Isabella said after the deed was done, "I only came to help with what happened last night, so I best be moving on."

"You helped last night…" Talia trailed off, bewildered. Well, this was certainly a new development.

Isabella nodded, pulling her daughter into a hug and whispering in her ear, "You've nothing to worry about, so don't dwell on it. **Everything** is fine."

"Alright," Talia whispered, unsure, before Isabella stepped away from her.

"Well, as I said, I'm off. I've got a few things to talk about with Professor Lupin, and then I'll be on my way home. I just came by to say hello—" Isabella yawned, and it was then that Talia noticed how bloodshot her mother's eyes were.

"Did you sleep well?"

"I didn't sleep at all," Isabella said simply, shrugging as if it were no big deal. "I was needed here; I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes love, I'm sure."

With that Isabella gave Talia one last smile before turning to Draco and saying her farewells. Curiously, Talia watched after her mother as she made her way over to the staff table, not really knowing what to think of the situation at hand. This was odd, very odd indeed… but her mother had said to not worry about it, right?

Even then, the adoring looks that Isabella and Remus were giving each other from behind the staff table when they thought no one (or the other) was looking could not be missed. Something had definitely happened between them, and a small glimmer of hope shinned in Talia's heart.

Maybe things _were_ alright.

* * *

><p>As the day wore on, Talia found herself sitting outside with Hermione on one of the stone benches in the small courtyard near the Astronomy Tower. Apparently, Hermione had something important to talk about, but words were escaping her. It was almost comical watching her open her mouth to say something and then close it quickly to think better on what she'd almost spouted off—but enough was enough. Talia was freezing. It no longer snowed but winter was still lingering and making itself known through bitter afternoon winds and frozen dewy grass. Talia loved cold weather, but not when she was actually physically outside to experience it.<p>

"Merlin, 'Mione, just spit it out!" Talia exclaimed, giving her friend an expectant look. "I'm freezing my bum off 'ere!"

"Well, if you'd written me back then I wouldn't have—"

"I already _told_ you," Talia said with a resigned sigh, "I never_ got_ your letter. You'll have to take it up with the post owls, I'm afraid."

"Ugh, no matter," Hermione said with a frustrated sigh, "look, what I'm going to tell you cannot be uttered to anyone else, got it?"

Talia nodded, mumbling, "I gathered as much."

"Right, well," Hermione looked around, making sure that they were absolutely alone before whispering, "Professor Lupin is a _werewolf_."

_... What?_

"I'm sorry?" Talia asked, her eyebrows furrowing in question, "Did you just say—" but then a nervous laugh left her lips. "Hermione, you alright?"

"Yes I'm alright!" Hermione exclaimed, swatting her friend on the shoulder before whispering, "He's a werewolf. That's why he's been missing classes."

No.

This couldn't be happening. This was all just a dream—of course, that's what it was. Talia was still dreaming. She'd probably fallen asleep on the Slytherin table while eating breakfast. Merlin knew she needed the sleep. She'd wake up in a few moments, she was sure.

Any moment now...

Draco would wake her up.

_Any moment now..._** ANY MOMENT NOW!**

No one was waking her up, because no one needed too. Talia wasn't dreaming, and Hermione was staring at her with a curious look in her brown eyes.

This was **NOT** happening! Hermione had **NOT** said that her father was a werewolf. No, just—**_NO!_**

This wasn't happening...

"Hermione," Talia said with what she hoped looked like a teasing smile, but on the inside, she was very near having an emotional breakdown, "I understand that Hagrid's hearing is this Friday, and you'd been doing research for the court hearing to help him so he knows what to say to help his case, but I think you've taken things a bit too far. All that research is stressing you—"

"I am _not_ stressed!" Hermione exclaimed, glaring.

"But of course you are!" Talia yelled back, glaring right back at Hermione. Lowering her voice, she said furiously, "Professor Lupin is **NOT** a… a—_Merlin_, Hermione. How can you accuse him of—"

"I am **_not_** accusing him of anything! It's a fact that he's a werewolf—I've done my research," Hermione stated proudly, crossing her arms.

"He is **NOT** a werewolf," Talia spat viciously, taming the growl that was about to burst from her throat. "How **dare** you accuse him of something that he is _not._ Just because you _claim _your research is right does not mean that it is. And I'm sorry, truly I am, but I can't be friend with _liars_."

With that, Talia stood up and began to walk away, but not before hearing Hermione shout, "Oh, but you can be friends with_ Draco Malfoy_, can you?!"

Talia's steps faltered, but she quickly regained her composure and held her head high. She would not cry, not today. She had bigger things to worry about, like getting this matter sorted. An eye on Hermione she'd keep, because the last thing she wanted was for the Gryffindor to tell anyone else of what she thought about Remus Lupin.

"I am _not_ a liar," Talia told herself softly, her eyes stinging with tears as she quickly walked back into the castle, "I am not... I am _not_ my... my _mother_. I am **not** a liar. I am not... I'm—"

She couldn't hold them back, not anymore. The tears spilled freely down her face, and Talia hugged herself as she slowly made her way down to the dungeons.

Who was she kidding? She was **_exactly _**like her mother. But was that such a bad thing? She was lying to protect someone she loved, and if it meant losing the friendship of a dear friend, she regretted nothing.


	44. Final Exams

Day turned into night, minutes turned into hours, and days turned into weeks…

It all passed in a blur for Talia.

The only significant thing that she could take notice of was the fact that Harry and Ron now ignored her completely. They no longer smiled at her when she'd pass them in the halls, or nod at her in a small way of greeting in the Great Hall as she'd walk past the Gryffindor table. She supposed it had to do with her and Hermione's falling out… or the fact that Draco had insulted Hermione upon finding out that Talia and the Gryffindor no longer talked, and instead of insulting him back, Hermione had punched him in the face.

If it were not for Crabbe and Goyle holding her back, Talia would have clawed Hermione's throat out.

The studious Gryffindor had successfully broken the Malfoy heir's nose, and underneath the disbelief and anger, Talia was mildly impressed. She was glad that Hermione hadn't kept quiet and stood up for herself, but never had she imagined for her to react so violently as to punch Draco. She wasn't the one who had to put up with Draco's whining, after all.

_That_ had been a tedious week, in which Talia nearly punted Draco off the Astronomy Tower.

Other than that, nothing of importance had happened in Talia's life… if she didn't count her mother and father being part of it. Something was definitely going on between those two, she was sure of it.

May 10th had passed and to celebrate Talia's birthday her mother had organized a small get-together in Remus' office at the end of the day; it had fallen on a school day, after all. It was just she, her mother, her father, and Severus, who had made a ten-minute appearance before going back to the dungeons to finish grading papers.

Throughout the two hours she and her parents had spent opening presents, telling stories, and enjoying themselves, Talia did not miss the looks that the two adults would give each other.

Talia was happy for her mother and father if something in fact was happening between them. She wanted nothing more for them to be together and to be a family—she just supposed that the bedroom eyes they cast each other bothered her because they filled her head with improper thoughts. Talia had to admit that it was rather gross.

No one liked seeing his or her parents being affectionate, especially if the_ (dare she think it_) sexual tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife and nearly choke on it.

Nevertheless, it had been an enjoyable affair, in which Isabella had brought Brutus along with her. The little ferret had been staying home since the Christmas holiday, and Talia had been missing his company dearly.

After that, she'd gotten quite the surprise when she'd gone back to the Slytherin common room. After passing through the stone entrance, a handful of green and silver confetti was thrown at her face by none other than the bane of her existence, Draco Malfoy.

Now all Talia had to worry about were her final exams, which incidentally were… today.

Was it June 6th already? Time sure flies when you're having _fun_…

* * *

><p>Food was a passion of Talia's—fruit especially. She loved how light a nice fruit salad would make her feel in the mornings… but right now she downright hated fruit, pineapples especially.<p>

Charms was a simple class, one Talia enjoyed, but she'd been so nervous that when asked to make the pineapple resting on Professor Flitwick's desk tap-dance for her final exam, she'd made it jump down from the table and dance **out** of the classroom. To say she was embarrassed was an understatement.

Thankfully, Professor Flitwick was a kindhearted little man, and he'd given her extra points for originality and being able to make him laugh.

The rest of her exams mercifully passed without a hitch.

For Transfiguration, Talia successfully transfigured a mouse into a snuffbox, receiving extra points from McGonagall for making the snuffbox a pretty shade of periwinkle blue with glittering jewels encrusted on the top.

In History of Magic, Talia had nearly fallen asleep the first twenty minutes of answering questions on the invention of the _Self-Stirring Cauldron_. She had no patience for that sort of thing. Thankfully, the history exam only lasted one hour, and despite almost falling asleep and falling out of her seat, she knew she'd aced the exam within the first thirty minutes of class.

For Potions, since Talia was studying at the 3rd year level, she had to brew a _Confusing Concoction_. It only took her twenty minutes to brew the potion and get it to thicken to the right consistency, and no one was really surprised when Severus let her leave class early, giving her a nod of approval and a subtle upturn of the lips.

With the extra time given to her, Talia studied for Divination. As much as it pained her to do so, she couldn't slack off, no matter how many times she whined about the class. So when it came time for her to perform Ovomancy (which involved cracking an egg open and observing which way the yolks fell), she had a good feeling that she'd passed the elective class with good marks. Trelawney had told her that her observations had been correct… and to also: _be wary of the nightfall_—whatever that meant.

Following Divination was Herbology. Professor Sprout had blacked out one of the greenhouses and let free _Devil's Snare_, a tentacle-like plant that thrived in a damp and dark environment. The plant was a gruesome thing of black and blue, with soft, springy tendrils and vines that strangled you upon touching them. Its enemy was the sun (or anything that gave off a bright light), so while being ensnared by its thick vines, Talia had simply used a Wand-Lighting Charm, her wand producing a bright white light that effectively drove the plant away from her.

Her favorite final exam experience by far was in Care of Magical Creatures. Since the class was mixed, the few first year students that were taking the class had been assigned to write a paper on their favorite creature for their final exam—Talia had written an extensive, in-depth essay on unicorns. For extra credit, she'd drawn a picture of a unicorn to accompany her paper.

Defense Against the Darks Arts was her final class of the day, and the most anticipated. Her father had assigned his students three tasks, one of which Talia considered to be a joke.

For her first part of the exam, Talia was to perform the _Curse of the Bogies_. The students were divided into pairs to duel, their partner being the person who sat next to them. Whoever was to perform the curse on their opponent first, would receive higher marks, and it was then when Talia realized she'd have to talk to Astoria Greengrass, who'd done a good job at disappearing out of her life since her sister had damn near commanded it.

They shared a dormitory, saw each other on a daily basis, sat together in this very class, but did not talk to each other, and it wasn't for lack of trying. Talia had tried to rekindle the friendship that they used to share, but Astoria remained frigid and distant. As it were, Talia did not take kindly to her mother being called a blood-traitor, so when her, "Good luck," went ignored, it did not hurt her in the least. In fact, it gave Talia even more power, so she did not feel guilty when she drew her wand after the usual dueling pleasantries were exchanged, and a bright green light threw back the brunette-haired Slytherin several feet, making her land with a loud "slap" on the stone floor.

Talia hadn't even said the incantation. The drive behind it was enough to allow her to perform the curse nonverbally, which had caught Astoria off-guard.

_Hah_, thought Talia as she watched Astoria slowly rise to her feet, sniffling and coughing, her nose red and dripping. The curse was working marvelously… _too_ marvelously, it seemed. Astoria gave one loud wet cough before collapsing, dropping to the ground on all fours, and wheezing, all the symptoms of a heavy cold making themselves known.

Out of all the first years in the class, Talia's curse had been the only one to render the recipient helpless and looking as if Death himself was knocking on their door.

Maybe it was because she'd actually _meant_ to hurt Astoria?

Maybe it was because she wanted to prove that she was the best?

Maybe that night's full moon was making her loopy?

Or _maybe_ it had to do with defending her mother's honor and sending Daphne a not-so-subtle message, but whatever the reason behind the power of Talia's curse, the satisfaction of seeing Astoria on the floor was indescribable.

Remus was quick to act, however, striding up to Astoria and crouching by her side, muttering the counter-curse.

Astoria Greengrass was right as rain in seconds, all signs of the cold the curse inflicted now gone.

"Are you alright?" asked Remus as he helped Astoria to her feet.

Astoria said nothing, merely nodded her head and shot Talia a subtle glare.

_Stupid girl_, thought Talia smugly, her head held high. She couldn't wait to tell Draco of what she'd done when she saw him next.

The _Knockback Jinx_ came afterward, in which Talia uttered the incantation, "_Flipendo,_" knocking back some of the assorted crates provided for the task, but breaking most of them and sending them flying across the room. Her father had quirked an eyebrow to that, and Talia had given him a sheepish smile.

Lastly, there was the_ Wand-Lighting Charm_. With a lazy movement of her wand, Talia hadn't even needed to say the incantation to make the tip of her wand illuminate with a brilliant white light. It was just too easy, and she made her thoughts known after class, when she hung back to help her father move his papers up into his office.

"I thought it was a joke, in all honestly," she told him with a smile, her arms filled with folders that contained the final exam results of fourth years.

"Well, it wasn't," Remus told her with a smile, waving his wand across the surface of his desk.

The papers strewn across the desk's wooden surface began to sort themselves out, and in the span of three seconds, Remus had the first year's results alphabetically sorted.

"How did I do today, though?" asked Talia, following him up the staircase that led to his office.

"As your professor, I cannot disclose the final results of your exam with you—you being my student and all," her father told her seriously, but then a sneaky glint crossed his eyes. Setting his papers down on his desk in his office, he turned to look down at Talia, and smiled proudly. "As your father, it does this old man's heart good to know that his daughter is in the top of her class in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and will be proceeding to her second year with no troubles whatsoever."

Talia's eyes grew big for a moment, and then a smug smile appeared on her lips. "I totally knew I passed."

Remus chuckled, stepping forth and taking the folders from her arms. After placing them back on his desk, he turned to her again, opening his arms and wordlessly inviting Talia in for a hug.

"Don't let this get to your head," he warned teasingly, resting his chin on the top of her head as his arms gave her a squeeze, "we wouldn't want that head of yours getting bigger, now would we?"

"My head is **not** big to begin with!"

"Right," he chuckled, letting the hug last a few more seconds before he let her go. The mirth in his eyes was replaced with curiosity as he quickly changed the conversation with, "Mind telling me what happened with you and Astoria?"

Talia feigned ignorance. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I was watching you closely," he admitted, "that curse—"

"She called mum a blood-traitor!" Talia blurted out, her tone taking a sharp edge.

"What," Remus hissed, his eyes narrowing. He could feel a growl coming forth, but he quickly stopped the wolf from making an appearance by clearing his throat. He could not have Talia be a witness to how in a mood he could get upon the night of the full moon when it concerned things of… _value_.

Talia sighed, tugging at the braid that ran down one of her shoulders. "Well, Astoria never said anything, per say— it was her older sister, actually; Daphne Greengrass. She told Astoria that she didn't want her to be my friend because my mum was "_gallivanting with the likes of Sirius Black when she was younger_"—her words, not mine. Ever since then, Astoria has been ignoring me… I guess I got carried away today."

Remus did not know what to say to that, but a string of colorful curses flittered through his mind as he thought about Daphne; and to think that she was one of his brightest pupils (Talia and a select few aside)—_hah._

"Don't worry about that," he said simply, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Astoria is missing out on a wonderful friendship."

"I know, right?"

Remus chuckled, shaking his head. His daughter could be a cocky little thing when she wanted to be. "C'mon, help me put away these papers so we can get out of here."

"You've got the third years in an hour, right?"

Remus nodded.

"Ooh, let me know what Draco's boggart is—you **_are_** having boggarts in their final exam, right?"

Remus gave Talia a look, which made her roll her eyes.

"Fine, _don't _tell me what his boggart is."

"I plan on doing just that."

"Oh come on!"


	45. The Whomping Willow

It was hard to believe that in a day or so, Talia would be returning home for the summer. It was even harder to believe that she had been away from Spinner's End for a year… but it didn't feel like that, not really. The presence of the few friends she had, her uncle, her father—they made it feel like home. Their constant presence helped her forget that she was living in a new place, and would be doing so for the next six years.

It was also hard to believe all that had happened to her while being at Hogwarts. From finding her father, to becoming the surrogate niece of an Azkaban escapee—it was like being in a work of fiction.

Talia regretted nothing of what had happened to her, though; looking back on all of what had happened, she found that she had many things to be thankful for. The recent events in her life gave her strength and helped her grow and see things in a new light.

Her motto was always, "_things happen for a reason_," and she would live by that until the day that she died.

There was nothing to be negative about, not anymore. All the missing pieces of her life-puzzle were slowly coming into place, giving her the sense of stability that she often craved.

Things were _certainly_ looking brighter.

* * *

><p>Talia found herself walking over the rickety old bridge that jutted out from the castle, her destination of the day being Hagrid's hut. During her exam with the Care of Magical Creature's professor, she'd inquired as to what would happen with Buckbeak; the news she received was rather unsettling.<p>

Hagrid's hearing had not gone well, and Buckbeak was to be killed at sunset.

An apology would have been silly to offer, and Talia did not want to out-right give her condolences in the middle of class, so she'd asked him quietly if she could pay him a visit in the late afternoon (after the deed was done), and Hagrid had been more than happy to accept her company. She couldn't imagine what he must be going through—anyone could see how attached Hagrid had gotten to that particular hippogriff. Buckbeak was a magnificent and smart creature, and it was a shame that he would have to be put down.

Damn Draco and his theatrics…

A quiet chatter, and a squeak, caused Talia to pause in her walk. She looked down and gave a soft chuckle. She'd almost forgotten about Brutus. The white ferret was riding along inside the pocket of her hooded jumper, head peeking out from one end, and tail peeking out from the other.

"What?" she asked the ferret, arching an eyebrow, "Do you want to ride along on my shoulder?"

Brutus looked up at her with wide beady eyes, his whiskers twitching; Talia took it as an answer.

"Shoulder it is," she said softly, taking him out of her pocket to place him on her shoulder.

It took Brutus but a moment to settle down on his mistress' shoulder, curving around her neck like a scarf; Talia walked on.

The bridge, which was built over a large river that lead into the Black Lake, soon led passage into a wide stone corridor with archways on either side serving as glassless windows, with benches underneath them carved right into the stone. Just a few more steps and Talia would be on the top of a hill, her professor's home down at the bottom of it.

The sun was sinking further down the horizon, strong winds accompanying it. A flowery scent caught Talia's attention, followed by the smell of spearmint toothpaste, and… broom-handle polish. She almost faltered in her steps as she realized whom those scents belonged too, and she wasn't all that surprised when their voices were brought to her by another gust of wind.

Just then, Brutus began to squeak loudly, nearly hissing. He almost clawed at Talia's neck as he made his way down her arm and trousers hurriedly.

"What in the—_hey!_ Come back here!" Talia exclaimed, watching as Brutus darted down the corridor. She had no other choice then to run after him.

At the end of the corridor, a ball of orange fur slinked around the corner and out of sight, Brutus following after it. Talia knew exactly what that ball of orange fur was, and she mentally cursed as she arrived at the end of the corridor, her ears meeting with the sound of shouting from three distinct voices.

"Crookshanks, no!"

"Leave Scabbers alone you bloody white_—OW!_"

"Hermione control your—it bit me!"

Hermione, Ron, and Harry stood in a circle, all facing each other and by the looks of it, trying to protect the affirmed Scabbers. Their efforts appeared to be in vain, however, because between them, on the ground, was Scabbers with Brutus nearly on top of him, clawing at any piece of brown rat that he could. Crookshanks was acting as a sort of bodyguard, hissing and pawing at any of the three who tried to pry the little ferret off the aging rat. A most curious thing indeed, but Talia couldn't dwell on such things. As much as she disliked Ron's rat, she couldn't allow Brutus to kill it.

"Oh good, you're here," Ron said exasperated once he saw Talia walking towards them. "Get him off!" he shouted, pointing at Brutus.

Talia quickly assessed the situation: Brutus was beginning to draw blood, his claws digging into Scabbers back; he was biting and nipping as well, hissing and growling all the while.

No, Talia could not intervene.

"I can't," she said, and upon receiving pointed looks from all three, she exclaimed, pointing, "Look at him! He'll attack me too if I try and get him off Scabbers!"

"Talia," Hermione said in frustration, finally managing to swoop down and pick Crookshanks up into her arms without him pawing at her, "just get Brutus off Scabbers so we can all leave!"

Talia resisted the urge to scoff. The first words Hermione says to her after their falling out and it was over Ron's stupid rat. _Merlin's pants…_

Sighing, she pulled out her wand and pointed it at Brutus. Her lips barely moved as she mumbled a spell that caused the tip of her wand to spurt out a beam of water, drenching Brutus and causing him to jump up and roll off Scabbers. Ron quickly chose that moment to step in and take Scabbers in his hands, clutching onto the rat as if his life depended on it.

"Happy now?" Talia spat, suddenly feeling very tired. By the Gods, she did not have the energy to put up with this shit. The full moon was but a few hours away, and she could feel it pulling at her, almost as if it were calling her.

"Talia, you don't look so good," Harry said suddenly, his eyes watching her curiously.

"Oh, now you decided to talk to me?" she nearly growled, bending down to pick up Brutus.

"Well, it's just…" he trailed off, not knowing what to say. He looked at Hermione for a moment as if she was an answer, before drawing his eyes back to Talia. Her eyes were a curious shade of amber, the skin underneath purple and bruising, but her eyes… weren't they blue? Other than that, she looked tired, her skin sallow, her hair limp and dull.

"Are we done here now?" Talia asked with a quirk of her eyebrows, her lips in a firm line. "I've got people to see, places to be—all that crap."

Hermione studied Talia curiously. She looked unhealthy, and her eyes… blue eyes did not naturally change to amber. What was going on? "Are you alright?" she couldn't help but to ask.

Talia quickly looked at Hermione, a scowl on her face as she snapped. "Since when do you fucking care if I'm alright or not?"

Ron and Harry looked at each other in confusion. They'd never known Talia to have such a temper. They didn't hang around her as much as Hermione did to know things, but she was acting oddly, that much they were sure of.

Feeling insulted, Hermione dropped Crookshanks, her eyes wide as she sputtered, "Why—I've… I've always _cared_—"

"Shut up," Talia hissed, dropping Brutus. She was getting a headache.

"Talia," Hermione sighed, something flashing in her eyes as she said quietly, "I know that things have been rough between us but—"

What Hermione was going to say, no one ever did find out, because in that moment Ron howled in pain, dropping Scabbers to the ground. The garden rat had bit him judging by the blood that was forming on the pad of his index finger. With the wind blowing, the scent of blood quickly reached Talia, and she found herself going stiff as her mouth began to water.

_I should have drunk the potion before leaving the dormitory_, she thought, referring to the Wolfsbane her uncle had made her.

Things were getting out of hand, and Talia was running out of time. She should be with Hagrid right now, keeping him company and offering him a shoulder to cry on. Afterwards she would head back into the castle, down to the dungeons, and into the Slytherin common room, where she'd go up to her dormitory and retrieve the small phial of Wolfsbane she was due to take that night to take off the edge of the full moon. If she didn't get that small amount of Wolfsbane into her, with how her mood was already getting sour and _worse_, she'd be sure to rip someone's head off.

And to think she'd nearly forgone the potion because she'd thought that today would be an easy day.

_Just hold still and think of something else, it'll pass, it'll pass, it'll pass…_

"Scabbers— Scabbers no!" Ron shouted, and then he was off, running after the garden rat, Crookshanks and Brutus bolting after them in hot pursuit. "Scabbers, come back here!"

"Talia!" Harry's voice snapped Talia out of her trance-like state, causing her to blink blindly at him, "Come on!"

"What?" she asked dumbly, confused. She'd spaced out, and she had no idea what had just transpired, but now Ron was nowhere in sight, Brutus, Crookshanks, and Scabbers gone too.

Harry rolled his eyes and ran past her, and Talia, following his retreating form, took notice of the redheaded boy a few paces in front of Harry… along with the Whomping Willow a few yards before them.

"We'll set our differences aside for tonight?" asked Hermione, who was now standing beside Talia.

Talia nodded, extending a hand for Hermione to take, before the two of them began running.


	46. Not All Is As It Seems

Planted in 1971, the Whomping Willow was a tall, willow-like tree with a thick twisting trunk. It was at the very top of a hill quite a ways away from Hagrid's hut and the castle itself, so no curious bodies could unknowingly walk by it and get hurt. The tree was a sentient being, violent, able of movement, using its thick branches like arms to ward off anyone and anything that came within hitting range.

No spell was known to be able to subdue the Whomping Willow, and yet Talia and Hermione were going through spell after spell in their heads to try to immobilize it, weary of how close they and their friends were to being knocked back by its branches.

_Just in case_, they thought. They had their wands drawn, and were prepared for a fight if the need for it arrived.

Thankfully, just when they thought they'd be turned into pudding by a thick branch smashing them to the ground, Ron screamed out in victory, holding up a struggling Scabbers in his hands. He proceeded to step backwards, putting as much distance between himself and the moving tree. A few more steps forward and a branch could have easily knocked him down.

They had gotten **_that_** close to the Whomping Willow.

"You need to keep him in a cage," Hermione spat, glaring daggers at Ron.

Ron sneered, looking down at Hermione's feet where Crookshanks now sat; the cat swishing his fluffy tail from side to side, looking innocent. "Well, if it weren't for that bloody thing you call a cat—"

"You leave Crookshanks out of it!" Hermione exclaimed, pointing her wand at Ron in a silent threat.

"Well it—"

"**SHUT UP RONALD**!" Talia screamed, her eyes flashing yellow. Pointing at him accusingly, she exclaimed angrily, "We could have been killed by that bloody tree behind you and it would have been your **entire** fault! You should have just let that stupid rat run off!"

Ron was silent, his face ghostly pale. His mouth opened and closed, but he had nothing to say. Talia was right, he realized… but Scabbers was his pet. The rat had been in his family for twelve years—he couldn't just let him run off!

The group was silent after Talia's outburst, catching their breaths, thinking of what to do next. Talia looked down at her feet were Brutus stood, his stance similar to Crookshanks. She arched her eyebrow at him in question, surprised when he bit the hem of her trousers as a response, tugging in a specific direction.

"What _now?_ Haven't you cause enough trouble?" she asked him softly, curiously looking off in the direction she guessed him to be trying to point her in. She saw nothing but grass and rolling hills and the Forbidden Forest.

The wind however, brought her a most curious scent. Musk, spice, wet fur similar to that of a dog… and then she saw it, or rather—_him_. He was nothing but a black speck that emerged from the Forbidden Forest, silver eyes glowing eerily as they reflected with what little light was left of the afternoon sun. As he ran, his form began to enlarge, allowing Talia to make out his black fur in detail, which looked shaggier and dirtier than the last time she'd seen it. He also looked thinner, which worried her. Though she soon realized that his form was becoming clearer, easier to make out, and it was because he was getting closer, running straight at them.

_Not good, __**not good!**_

"Time to head for the castle," Talia blurted out, looking away from Sirius, and hoping beyond hope that the others would follow her back without questioning her.

However, it was all for naught, because Ron had looked in the direction that Sirius was in, and had seen the same thing that Talia had.

"It's _the Grim!_" He shrieked, scared out of his mind, pointing at Sirius.

Talia was confused for a moment. She had no idea what this "Grim" was, but then she began to make the connection in her head and it only took her two seconds to realize what Ron was talking about.

The Grim was an omen of death, said to take the form of a large, _black_, spectral _dog_. Draco had told her about it while he had been doing his Divination homework.

However, Sirius being _the Grim?_ Talia couldn't hold in the snort that escaped her.

"You're laughing!?" Hermione exclaimed, a scandalized look about her face.

Talia quickly sobered up, but the traces of a smile could be faintly detected on her lips. "I'm sorry, it's just that—"

"We gotta get out of here," Harry said, interrupting her.

"It's going to kill us!" Ron screamed, holding Scabbers up to his chest as if the rat could shield him.

Talia was about to correct him, she was about to tell him that the "Grim" would do no such thing, that he wasn't evil, or an omen of death, but Sirius had now arrived, standing just a few feet away from them, and he was growling viciously.

"Hermione," Harry began, pulling out his wand slowly, eyeing the black dog nervously, "know any spells that can get rid of this thing?"

"I can think of one," Hermione said softly, her wand raise, aimed at Sirius. "_Bomb_—"

"**NO**!" Talia exclaimed, running forward and putting herself between the tip of Hermione's wand, and Sirius. "You can't do that!"

"She's gone mad!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"No I'm not," Talia told them with a pleading look. "Just… please, you don't understa—"

Sirius growled loudly as if he had something to say, but Talia quickly looked over her shoulder and glared at him. "Don't even start; you're in enough trouble as it is!"

Sirius huffed in annoyance, stomping the ground with a paw. He then looked to Crookshanks and Brutus, huffing once more. Crookshanks meowed lazily, while Brutus' whiskers twitched. He had told them something, Talia realize; but how? Was it possible that he could communicate with regular animals while being an animagus?

"What are you playing at?" she asked Sirius curiously, tilting her head to the side.

Sirius barked, and then looked sharply at Ron… all Hell broke loose.

In an instant, Sirius was gone, having darted past Talia, nearly knocking her down. The next second Ron was screaming bloody murder.

A loud, sickening crack was heard as Ron fell to the ground—Sirius had bitten down on his leg, breaking it.

"**HARRY!**" Ron screamed as he was dragged towards the base of the Whomping Willow, narrowly missing the onslaught of branches that began their violent assault.

Harry stood frozen, not knowing what to do as he watched his friend disappear in a flurry of moving branches and leaves.

"We need to save Ron!" Hermione gasped; her voice cracking as tears began to well up in her eyes.

Talia was stunned. Why had Sirius showed himself? Why had he attacked Ron? Why had he dragged him off into the Whomping Willow's domain?

Tonight was **definitely** going to be a long full moon.

"How do I stop this thing?" Harry exclaimed, no longer frozen in surprise.

"_Aresto Momentum!_" Hermione yelled, wand raised and pointed towards the tree.

Nothing happened, as she feared.

"There is no spell known that can stop it," Talia said, a touch of fear in her tone.

"Then there is only one thing left to do," Harry said softly, before taking off in a run.

"Harry!" both Talia and Hermione exclaimed in a mixture of surprise and horror. On impulse they began moving forwards, inching closer to the tree, but then Crookshanks hissed, getting in their way and preventing them from getting anywhere near the tree's branches.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione yelled in desperation, not taking her eyes off Harry, who was now throwing himself on the ground, rolling, doing anything in his power to not be caught by one of the Willow's branches.

"Hermione, wait," Talia said suddenly, pulling her back.

"What are you—"

"Look!" Talia said, a look of disbelief on her face as she pointed towards the tree, more specifically, towards its trunk. She hadn't noticed it, not at first. She hadn't even realized he'd disappeared, but when Harry had taken off into the Willow's branches, she'd seen her ferret.

Brutus was zipping across the ground, small enough that the Willow didn't register his presence. He skirted around the base of the trunk, crawling under uprooted roots, sniffing the tree's bark. Talia knew her ferret well enough to recognize the signs—he was looking for something.

After a few seconds, on which Talia and Hermione waited on baited breath, Brutus stopped before a mangled knot of roots, crawling over them and stamping his front paws down, hard.

"What…" Hermione gasped, looking away from Brutus and up at the tree's branches.

They grew still.

"Did you teach him that?" Hermione asked with a tone of surprise, a smile beginning to form on her lips.

"I didn't even know he knew how to do that," Talia replied, a look of shock on her face as she stared up at the now still, Whomping Willow.

"Um, guys?"

Talia and Hermione tore their eyes away from the branches to look at Harry, who was slowly proceeding to get up off the ground, dusting his arms to rid them of sticks and dirt.

"Harry!" the girls exclaimed, rushing towards him, their voices dripping with relief.

Crookshanks followed behind them.

"Did you teach him that?" Harry asked Talia, looking over towards a rapidly approaching Brutus.

"Didn't know he knew how," Talia chuckled, looking down at her pet lovingly.

"Well, c'mon—he dragged Ron under the tree, there's a passage near that knot Brutus touched," Harry informed them.

Wearily the three (cat and ferret following behind dutifully) approached the passage near the knot of roots, Harry going through it first. The passage itself was a hole in the ground with a sturdy set of stone stairs, concealed by crisscrossing roots that jutted out over it, almost like a hood.

At the bottom of the stairs, Harry uttered a Wand-Lighting charm, allowing a blue light to glow from the tip of his wand.

There was a single tunnel ahead of him.

"What do we do now?" asked Hermione, looking around cautiously.

"We follow the blood," Harry said cryptically, pointing his wand at the ground. A trail of blood was smeared on the floor before him.

"I hate blood," Talia mumbled, raising a hand to cover her nose.

The group walked forwards.

There was another set of stairs at the end of the tunnel, and as they approached them, Talia's ears picked up the sound of Sirius' voice muttering to himself, speaking of_ the rat_, and saying Peter Pettigrew's name…

_No, it can't be,_ Talia thought as a past story came to the forefront of her mind. Sirius had told it to her, of the Marauders, of the stag, the dog, the werewolf, and the _rat. _Prongs, Padfoot, Mooney—

"Wormtail."

"What?" Harry asked her, turning around to look at Talia, who was directly behind him.

"I knew it," she said softly, ignoring him, "I knew it!"

"What are you going on about?" Hermione asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's why he never really talked about him," Talia continued, too deep in her thoughts. "It was him, he betrayed them, but I didn't know; he never mentioned names. He always said _the rat_ but I thought… I mean, I just figured he meant—"

"_Natalia_," Hermione said forcefully, shaking her slightly, "what are you talking about?"

"He…" Talia trailed off, taking in a deep breath. "You know what—forget it. You'll… you'll find out tonight."

"You're mad," Harry told her, and Talia smiled.

"I know I'm not making any sense, but, just… c'mon," she said quickly, walking around him to lead the way up the stairs.

Confused, Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Was Talia alright? Had she completely lost it? What was she talking about?

There was only one way to find out.

With guarded steps, they began to climb, following a few steps behind her.

Soon, the group found themselves at the top of the stairs, before the threshold of a swaying building. Everything in sight was old, dusty, and gray. Through the doorway, they saw what looked like a bedroom. The curtains on the window across from them were moth-eaten, the rugs on the ground stained and torn. The few pieces of furniture in the room were broken, covered in a thick layer of dust. It all looked abandoned.

"The Shrieking Shack," Hermione whispered as she drank in her surroundings. "We're in the Shrieking Shack."

"Hermione!?" Ron's voice suddenly pierced the air. "Hermione is that you!?"

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, crossing through the threshold and entering the room.

Ron was cowering on the floor, trying to hide behind an old armchair. He had Scabbers held tightly in one hand, and the other clutching one of the armchair's stubby legs. One of his legs was bent up at the knee, and the other (the one that left the trail of blood), was stretched out before him.

"Ron, are you alright?" Harry asked as he spotted his friend, walking towards him to stand before him, beside Hermione.

Talia was left to stand by the doorframe, her eyes taking in every single detail around her.

In their haste to see if their friend was alright, Harry and Hermione had not noticed the paw prints on the ground amongst the dust—but Talia had noticed them. The paw prints turned into footprints going behind the opened door, to the left of where Talia stood.

Making a swift decision, Talia took three steps to the right.

"It's a trap!" Ron yelled, pointing towards the door.

The door suddenly slammed shut after Crookshanks and Brutus made their way through, and Talia was glad that she had moved out of the way, but now she found herself in a sticky situation.

Sirius stood before them, a wand in his hand and a crazy smile on his face.

He was three steps away from her.

"Talia, get back!" Harry yelled, pointing his wand at Sirius.

_"Expelliarmus!"_

The incantation had left her mouth quicker than she thought humanly possible. Talia hadn't even given it much thought, and was surprised when Harry's wand flew out of his hand and into hers. It was a spell she'd never even tried before, having come across it while reading one of her mother's Charm's textbooks.

"Well, that was impressive," Sirius chuckled darkly. "Are you sure you're 11?"

"12," Talia corrected him, not taking her eyes away from her friends. "My birthday was in May… you missed it."

"Did I?" Sirius said thoughtfully. "I owe you a gift. What would you like? I can get you—"

"Talia," Hermione began in a shady, accusatory tone, cutting Sirius off, "what is going _on?_"

"It's a long story," Talia told her simply.

"How do you—"

"Enough of this," Sirius interrupted Hermione, glaring down at her before plucking Harry's wand out of Talia's hand.

He proceeded to throw it across the room.

"Talia…" Harry trailed off, looking at her with disbelief in his eyes. She hadn't even tried to stop Sirius Black. "You're… how can you let this happen? What has he done to you? Are you bewitched?"

Talia didn't know what to do. She was torn between going to stand with her friends, and staying with her dear Uncle Sirius. She knew Sirius looked mad and every bit of the murderer that everyone made him out to be, but she knew that that wasn't him.

Talia knew the truth.

Her uncle was a kindhearted man who, although showing an outright dislike for Slytherins, never judged her because of her house. He cared for her, made her laugh, made her feel safe…

She was going to help him. He had waited so long; he deserved it.

"I'm fine," she said softly, taking a step towards her honorary uncle. He would not put her in danger, of that she was sure. It was the right choice to make.

"How can you stand beside him?" Harry asked her, his eyes narrowing. "He betrayed my parents! He sold them off to—"

"**NO I DID NOT!**" Sirius screamed, making Talia jump. "I did **not** betray them!"

"He's going to kill us!" Ron exclaimed in horror, clutching onto the hem of Hermione's trousers from his place on the floor.

"Only one murder will happen tonight," Sirius spat, his eyes narrowed.

"Was killing 12 muggles and Peter Pettigrew not enough?" Harry asked, livid. "Was giving my parents to Voldemort **not enough!?**"

Talia looked up at a silent Sirius, seeing the hurt in his eyes as he was accused of things that he had no hand in. "Tell him. Tell him everything. Harry needs to _know._"

"Figured it out, have you?" Sirius asked with a knowing look.

Talia nodded. "It wasn't all that hard, really. All the signs were there…"

"Your father's daughter, you are," he said, ruffling her hair before turning away from her to face Harry. He was going to tell him, this all needed to end.

However, Harry had a different plan.

Before Sirius could explain himself, Harry ran forward, pushing Talia out of the way. He pushed Sirius against the door, managing to catch him off-guard. Those few seconds of stunned confusion were all Hermione needed to rush forwards and take the wand in Sirius hand away from him, throwing it behind her shoulder, aiming towards Ron.

Ron miraculously caught it—it had been **_his_** wand, after all.

Talia steadied herself against the wall, thankful that she hadn't fallen over. Looking up, she gasped; Sirius now had his hands wrapped around Harry's neck, appearing to choke him. On impulse, Talia ran forwards, into Sirius and Harry, knocking them to the ground and falling along with them. A large dust cloud was left in their wake, making Talia cough, and her eyes sting, however, it was worth it. She was sure that Harry and Sirius wouldn't try to kill each other anymore.

"Ugh," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes and blinking back tears, quickly getting to her feet. "I need water."

All the while, Hermione had been looking for Harry's wand. She'd found it within seconds behind an old, lumpy sofa, and was now in the process of giving it to him.

"This ends tonight," Harry muttered, wand now in hand as he slowly began getting up.

"Are you going to kill me?" asked Sirius softly, a crazed smile forming on his lips as he looked up and stared at the tip of Harry's wand.

"I might," Harry said without hesitation. "You're the reason my parents are dead—"

"As much as it pains me, there is _some_ truth to your words, but not all is as it seems."

"What?" Talia blurted out, utterly confused. She looked to Sirius, tilting her head in question as she asked, "What do you mean? I thought it was Peter who betrayed them. How do you—" but she was cut off and was unable to continue her questioning because in that moment the door burst open, Remus' silhouette emerging from the shadows with a wand pointed directly at Harry.

_Bloody hell..._


	47. The Disarming of Severus Snape

Isabella was going to be furious, of that Remus was sure. He could already picture it in his mind: she would come through the Floo as she'd promised some days ago, stepping out of his fireplace and into an empty office. She would be confused for just a moment, and then her instincts would flare up at the sight of his bureau—he'd knocked down a chair in his haste, papers were strewn about on the desk and on the floor, and the door was left ajar. Foul play would be the first thing she'd suspect, for Isabella was very paranoid and skeptic, and once she'd realize that nothing dark was around, she'd wander to the desk and peer down at its contents. The Marauder's Map would be the only thing that would catch her attention, and he knew that she'd look for his name on the map, and once she'd find it, along with the names of certain others, she'd dash out of his office, wand up, and hexing anything and anyone that would dare cross her path.

_And to think that tonight would be simple_, thought Remus as he entered the Shrieking Shack, his wand pointed at Harry, for he'd managed to hear the tail-end of their conversation, and he knew that Sirius was a few seconds from being hexed into next year.

He assessed the situation quickly, his eyes roaming the room.

Hermione was off in a corner with Ron at her feet, the latter sporting a bleeding and obviously broken leg. In Ron's hands was his rat, who was squeaking in distress. Talia stood closest to the door, and a few feet away from her was Sirius, on his back, with a slowly retreating Harry in front of him, who was taking backwards steps towards Hermione and Ron.

Crookshanks and Brutus observed the scene from underneath a small coffee table off to the side, away from his line of sight, but Remus could smell them, and nearly hear their calm heartbeats.

In the blink of an eye, Remus disarmed Harry, and then went on to disarm Hermione and Ron. Their wands flew out of their hands and into opposite directions, out of eyesight, quicker than anyone could have expected.

"Is it him? Are you absolutely sure that it is _him?_" Remus began as he looked at Sirius, an urgent tenor to his voice.

Sirius, still on the ground, pointed towards Ron, the look on his face confirming Remus' fears.

It was foolish of him to think that there could have been some chance that they'd gotten it all wrong, that Scabber's wasn't really Peter, that maybe Peter had gave them all the clues needed for them to think that he was actually the Weasley-boy's pet but that in actuality he was long gone…

It wasn't so.

"**ME!?**" Ron exclaimed in horror, hugging his (struggling) rat to his chest.

"Not _you,_" Sirius hissed annoyed, sitting up; he looked over to Talia and pointedly said, "Little One, come here and help me up."

Talia hesitated. She looked at her father first, and waited for the small nod he gave her before she stepped towards Sirius, offering him a hand and pulling him to his feet with slight difficultly—Sirius was taller than her, after all, and despite how malnourished he appeared, he was heavier as well.

"Thanks love," Sirius said almost teasingly, ruffling Talia's hair and looking over towards Ron, Harry, and Hermione.

The three Gryffindors were stunned, but not as stunned as their bushy-haired friend.

"How _could_ you," Hermione nearly cried, looking at Talia with a frown.

Talia panicked, before blurting out quickly, "Hermione, you don't—"

"**NO!**" Hermione exclaimed, shaking her head. "You were my friend!"

"I still **AM** your friend!" Talia cried, feeling her chest tighten as tears threatened to escape her eyes.

_Not again, not again…_ she couldn't lose Hermione's friendship, no, she just couldn't.

"No, you're _not_," Hermione said softly, and then turned to Remus, nearly yelling, "and _you_—I _trusted_ you!"

"Hermione," tried Talia once more, the expression on her face pained, but Hermione would have none of it.

"Professor Lupin is a _werewolf!_ That's why he's been missing classes," Hermione exclaimed as she stared Remus in the eyes—_amber eyes_; eyes the color of golden honey. His eyes were blue, she knew that for a fact, but why… and then a gasp left her quite suddenly, and she drew her eyes back to Talia's equally amber eyes, saying quietly, "That's why you denied it, isn't it? You _knew! _But then that means that you're also a… Oh my God…"

"Hermione," began Remus cautiously; his eyebrows rose in slight surprise as he saw the realization literally shine in Hermione's eyes.

"I can't believe I never realized it before," Hermione continued, ignoring him as her eyes were solely trained on Talia, "but it explains everything now!"

Talia did not like how Hermione's eyes darted from Remus, then back to her, nor how Hermione's rambling was starting to attract unneeded attention.

Harry and Ron were staring at Talia now, the initial shock of their dear Professor Lupin being a werewolf gone as they tried to figure out **what** their fellow Gryffindor was ranting about.

Remus could see it too, and he would have none of that. **_He_** could be ridiculed for being a beast, but not Talia—he would **not** put her through that.

"My, you _are _the brightest witch of your age," Remus Told Hermione teasingly, a nervous chuckle leaving his lips, gaining the attention of the three Gryffindors. "How long have you known about _me?_"

"Since Professor Snape set the essay," Hermione said quickly, sure of herself, almost as if she was answering a question in class.

Remus gave her a nod, and then proceeded to explain a few things to her—to _them_. The looks the three children were giving him—they expected him to kill Harry. They thought that he and Sirius were working together for that purpose. It nearly made him laugh. He would **never** hurt Harry… and even if he wanted to, he couldn't, not when he looked so much like James.

"I do _not_ want Harry dead," he began slowly, lowering his wand in an attempt to show them that he meant them no harm, "nor have I been helping Sirius into the castle; as a close friend of mine once said: _You can't really get inside a place that you're already inside of._"

To that, Sirius chuckled, remembering the time over the holidays when he had told Remus just that.

"Dumbledore sent me a letter; he _asked_ me to join the staff, and _all of them_ are informed of my condition. You have nothing to worry about, I assure you," Remus finished, and with a quick wave of his wand, three other wands rose from their hiding places, floating gently back to their owners.

"Dumbledore _knows?_" asked Hermione as she clutched her wand tightly to her chest, a look of disbelief on her face.

Remus nodded, giving her a small smile.

"I think a _proper_ explanation is in order," prompted Talia, giving her dad a look.

Remus nodded, noticing the look of unease on his daughter's face. Hermione kept shooting Talia glances, and he knew that Talia wanted the attention elsewhere.

"When James and Lily went into hiding," began Remus, giving Sirius a look before turning to look at Harry, "they had a Secret-Keeper—_Sirius_ was their Secret-Keeper."

"There was a spy among us," continued Sirius, a hardened expression on his face, "and I feared that they were on to me, so I switched with someone who I thought would keep the location of the Potters safe… but it was the biggest mistake of my life."

"I don't follow," said Talia softly after a pause, almost bashfully. "What exactly is a Secret-Keeper?"

"A Secret-Keeper is a person who is designated to keep the location of a certain place secret by means of the _Fidelius Charm_. The Fidelius Charm itself takes the secret and implants it into the Secret-Keeper's soul. The secret location then becomes invisible, intangible, unplottable, and sound-proof," explained Hermione against her better judgement. "No one can see the secret location unless the Secret-Keeper willingly tells them so, in which case they too become a Secret-Keeper of the given location."

Talia was surprised that Hermione acknowledge her question, let alone give her such a detailed explanation. She could see the newly-forming doubt in her friend's eyes, and it gave her hope.

"Okay," said Talia, looking at her father, "you guys can continue now."

Remus smiled, and then looked toward Sirius, nodding his head for him to finish.

"I switched with Peter Pettigrew," Sirius said darkly, his eyes narrowed into slits. "It was _he _who told Voldemort of James' and Lily's location, not I. He is the one at fault!"

"But how can that be?" asked Harry, stunned and hurt, not knowing what to believe anymore. They had told him that Voldemort, the darkest wizard that had graced British soil, killed his parents. They had told him that Sirius Black had betrayed his parents to _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named—_and now they were telling him that this wasn't true, that it had been _another_ who'd sold his parent's lives.

"Let's ask him," Sirius said with a murderous smirk, letting his eyes sweep over to Ron.

"But Peter Pettigrew is dead!" exclaimed Harry, livid. If this was a lie…

"His name showed up on the _map_," said Remus, giving Harry a look, "and the map never lies."

"He's in this room—right there!" yelled Sirius, index finger pointing at Ron—or more specifically, the rat in Ron's hands.

"You're bloody mad!" exclaimed Ron, thinking that he was the target. "My name is not Peter—"

"Not _you!_" Sirius said with a roll of his eyes, "your _rat!_ Your _rat_ is Peter Pettigrew!"

"No, this is Scabbers!" shouted Ron, clutching the rat to his chest tightly, "he was my brother Percy's rat—he's been in my family for—"

"12 years?" said Sirius with a knowing look, "an awfully long time for a common garden rat, isn't it?"

"I knew it!" exclaimed Talia, nearly jumping, causing several pairs of eyes to look at her with confusion, but she did not care, "Peter Pettigrew is Ron's rat! No wonder I never liked that old _shoe brush!_"

"You're all bleedin' mad," mumbled Ron defensively. "Scabber's **can't** be Peter Pettigrew."

"That's right," piped up Harry, siding with his friend, glaring at Sirius, "there were witnesses who saw _you_ kill Pettigrew!"

"They were fooled!" Sirius yelled, "Peter is an animagus!"

"That can't be right," replied Hermione, her eyebrows furrowed, "the Ministry of Magic has a register for animagi, with their names and what form they take—Professor McGonagall is on the register. I saw her name when I asked her about animagi during the time we talked about them in Defense, and she showed me a copy of the list—there are only **seven **names on it. Pettigrew's name was not—"

"There were **_four_** unregistered animagi running around Hogwarts during our school days," interrupted Remus. "Peter was one of them, as were James, and Sirius."

"So who was the fourth?" asked Hermione with slight mistrust in her brown eyes.

"My mother, she's a… _wolf_," replied Talia hesitantly, taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Talia just wanted this nightmare to end. They were wasting time. The more they talked and tried to figure everything out, the more the moon rose. When it reached its highest peak in the night sky, its light would start affecting her (and her father). She was scared of what would happen when the time for that came and they were still in the Shrieking Shack; she'd never been in the company of this many people during the full moon, and she was scared of what might happen.

Talia didn't want to attack anyone. Sometimes her mood would change drastically and she'd get frustrated and she'd lunge, and that was not something she wanted for anyone to see.

She did not want anyone to be injured tonight, but sadly, Talia would not have her way. Someone** was** going to be injured… but would it be by her hand?

Sirius had had enough talk. He wanted to get his hands on Peter, so during the lull in Talia's affirmation that her mother was an animagus, he lunged, tackling Ron so that he was now flat on his back. Ron, shocked and scared, dropped his rat.

In a matter of seconds "Scabbers" was nowhere to be seen, having scurried off to hide underneath some piece of furniture, being weary to stay away from one ominous little coffee table which contained two glaring animals underneath it.

"**DAMN**," exclaimed Sirius as he rolled off Ron, quickly whirling around and crouching low, his eyes sharp for any sign of movement amongst the dusty articles of furniture in the room. Slowly, teasingly, he called out, "Peter, _come out come out..._"

The smell of blood had been faint before, but now it was thick in the air, and it was because of Sirius. When he'd tackled Ron, he'd managed to twist Ron's broken leg more than it already was, opening new wounds and disturbing the blood that had already started to clot and dry. Broken bone had punctured muscle, and a small pool of fresh blood was beginning to form around the redhead's limb.

"Merlin," Talia mumbled, scrunching up her nose and inching closer to her father.

"You really are like your father, you know," Remus spoke up suddenly, trying to move the attention away from Sirius and a whimpering Ron. He looked Harry straight in the eyes as he continued, "He did something similar to what you did tonight—how you came to rescues Ron without hesitating. Severus… Professor Snape, he was curious as to why I always disappeared once a month. The Whomping Willow was planted before I came to Hogwarts to hide the secret tunnel that would lead to the Shrieking Shack, and Sirius told Severus one night how to still the tree. Snape, naturally, was curious and followed us one night on the night of my transformation… if it weren't for your father, James—I would have bitten Severus."

"Really?" Harry said softly, almost hesitantly, an underlying amount of astonishment shining in his green eyes.

"What?" Talia blurted out, not believing what her father had just said.

Remus gave Harry a small smile, and gave Talia an apologetic look, knowing how much, despite it all, Talia loved her Uncle Sev. Drawing back his attention to the green-eyed Gryffindor, Remus continued with, "Before Severus could enter this room, your father pulled him back and through the tunnel. That night Severus discovered the truth about me. He went to Dumbledore, of course, but Dumbledore forbid him on saying a word to anyone."

Talia had to admit that her father's story was very interesting, and she wanted to know more details, like where her mother was when this happened, and if her mother knew of what had almost happened to Uncle Sev, but a distinctive smell wafted into the room just then, making her stiffen. It smelled like ginger, spicy musk, and the chemically smell of… **_potions! _**All the color quickly drained from Talia's face, and she allowed herself a look over towards the door that had "_somehow_" managed to reopen itself. She looked down and saw the slight movement of dust on the floor, making out footprints that were slowly inching closer into the room.

_He's here,_ she thought, looking up at the empty space of air where she was sure was a person standing, probably concealed by some type of spell.

"Is that why Snape hates you?" Harry asked, and Talia cringed when she heard the sharp intake of breath that came from the direction of the doorway.

Remus had heard it too, but he turned too late.

Right before Talia's eyes, her uncle materialized and stepped into the room. His eyes were dark and dangerous, and they quickly settled on her, making all the blood in her body freeze.

"That's right," Severus said slowly, looking up and away from Talia, answering Harry's question, causing all eyes to turn in his direction.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Severus magically bound Remus, sending him crashing down onto the floor as ropes began to form around his wrists and ankles, tying them together and rendering him helpless. He quickly turned, and the same spell was on the tip of his tongue as he pointed his wand at Sirius, but a loud growl erupted from Talia's throat as she quickly darted to stand between him and her honorary uncle, glarin up at the head of Slytherin House and baring her teeth in a snarl.

She had her wand out in seconds, pointed directly at her uncle's forehead.

To say that everyone was stunned was an understatement.

"Don't you dare!" Talia hissed, "He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"_Natalia __**Snape,**_" Severus hissed, taking on a reprimanding tone that sent chills down the spines of everyone in the room, but only seemed to spur Talia on.

"No," she growled, her hand tightening on her wand, chin jutting up as she leveled a glare at her uncle.

Her uncle stared her down, taking a step towards her, and in an instant, he was sent flying across the room, crashing into what resembled an old broken bed that was tucked into a corner.

Talia was confused for a moment, and then she quickly turned on her heels and stared at the three Gryffindors who had their wands pointed in her general direction, smug expressions on their faces.

"**WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?**" she yelled at them, genuinely concerned, her eyes wide and a look of horror on her face. "Do you_ realize _what you've just done!? **HE'S GOING TO KILL ME**!"

Tucking his wand into his pocket, Harry shrugged, giving Talia an indifferent look before saying teasingly, "Oops."


	48. Reveal Your Secrets

Amongst the dust that floated in the air, was the truth. Lies no longer remained and everything that needed to be said had been said and explained down to the very crux of the matter, but the fact remained: would the truth be believed? Secrets had been revealed and yet Harry felt conflicted. Would he take the word of a werewolf and an Azkaban prisoner to heart, or would he keep on believing what he had been told—what the rest of the wizarding world believed in.

The word of two against a whole society... now that was quite a dilemma, wasn't it?

"Why would you have switched?" Harry couldn't help but to ask, looking at Sirius' hunched form, who was still searching for Scabbers—or Peter Pettigrew, as he and Professor Lupin claimed the rat to be.

Harry just needed one fault, one tiny sign that told him Sirius was lying, for he feared the truth. If it was all true, if Sirius hadn't really betrayed his parents, then that meant that he had another ally… another family member.

For Sirius Black was his godfather, a shocking fact that he had discovered during one fateful trip to Hogsmeade were he had overheard certain witches talking.

"We switched," Sirius began, before abruptly throwing himself on the ground, darting under a broken piano that was a few paces before the broken bed where an unconscious Slytherin lay, and coming out victorious, a squirming rat in his hands, "because no one would have suspected Peter. He was inconspicuous, stupid—still is! And we shall finally get answers!"

"Scabbers!" Ron couldn't help but to yell, a look of horror on his face as he watched Sirius hold up the rat by the scruff of his neck. The plump little creature was screaming, his tail swishing furiously, his little paws scratching the air.

The redhead was in denial.

How could Scabbers, the little garden rat that had been his brother Percy's rat before being handed down to him, actually be a human? Everything added up, he could admit that to himself, but he just… he could not turn his feelings off overnight. He loved that little rat. He cared for him, told him his secrets—the rat slept in bed with him!

He would not, **could not** believe that Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew, no matter what anyone told him. He would need to see it to believe it… and even then, a nagging feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. That rat had been in his family for twelve years… Scabbers was a Weasley.

"For the _last_ time," Sirius yelled at Ron, a frustrated look on his face, "**THIS RAT IS NOT—**"

"**ENOUGH!**" exclaimed Talia, growling in frustration, concern for her unconscious uncle now no longer on the forefront of her emotions. Taking in a deep breath, she turned to Sirius, speaking calmly, "You will no longer raise your voice. When I get my fath—_Professor Lupin _untied, you'll work your magic on the rat and we'll end this _tonight_, understood?"

It was silent in the Shrieking Shack, everyone staring at Talia as if she'd grown two heads. She was aware of her little slip, and how Hermione's gaze on her was close to burning a hole in the back of her head, but she remained cool and collected, unfazed. Sirius gave her a nod, and after that, she quickly set forth untying her father.

"Thanks love," Remus said quietly so only his daughter would hear, and Talia gave him a nod, accompanied by a little smile.

"You're alright, right?" she asked softly, looking him over, "no sore spots… sprained ankles, broken bones?"

"Are you teasing or actually concerned?" Remus chuckled.

"A bit of both, to be honest," Talia replied with a small chuckle.

"I'm alright… you?" he asked in return, genuine concern in his eyes.

"I just want to sleep," she mumbled honestly.

"Oh, I could do with that too."

Helping her father to stand, Talia shot Sirius an impatient look, which under different circumstances would have made the older man laugh, but he kept silent, extending a hand with an equally impatient look on his face.

He needed a wand.

Silently, Talia handed Sirius her wand, and without further hesitation, Sirius muttered a quick incantation in Scabber's direction.

Right before the eyes of everyone present, Sirius dropped Scabbers onto the floor, and rapidly the little rat began to grow… changing into something more than just a common garden rat. The unmistakable form of a human was being molded right before them, and Ron felt a fleeting moment of betrayal before horror made him let out a silent scream.

In the middle of the room now stood a short, plump man, hunched over and twitching, sniffing the air in an instantly recognizable rat-like fashion. He had light colored hair that appeared to be blonde, if not a very light shade of brown—and balding. From what anyone could see, the man's two front teeth were overtly long, just like a rat, and judging by his animal-like mannerisms, it had been far too long since this man had been human.

He was dressed in a brown pinstripe set of clothes, tattered and dusty, looking far worse for wear.

The man was Peter Pettigrew, and he was back from the dead.

"Peter Pettigrew," Sirius hissed with a murderous look on his face, wand trained at the animagus' head.

"My friend—," Peter began in a plea, but quickly jumped away with a startled yelp as Sirius waved his arm, mocking an attack.

"I am no friend of yours!" Sirius yelled, seething.

"Remus," Peter cried, turning to his other childhood friend, a look of hope in his watery eyes, but the quiet professor shook his head, taking a step back.

"Voldemort's followers are very unhappy with you," Sirius taunted, smirking. He'd heard whispers while being in Azkaban, and now he was going to use them to his advantage. "They know their master went to Godric's Hollow, to the Potter's, with information that **you** provided… and he died. He died because of _you_. His Death Eaters think you double-crossed him—_them_… and those are only the ones in Azkaban. There are still many at large, free, roaming the wizarding world. You're a wanted man Peter Pettigrew…"

Peter, if possible, seemed to grow smaller, curling in on himself. He shook, looking around the room, scared, hoping to find an easy exit, but he could not find one. He had to beg, he had to lie, he had to work his way around these people—he had to do anything to get out!

"Please," he begged, tears prickling his beady eyes, "I would have never harmed James—"

"Don't you dare say that name," Sirius spat, the wand in his hand trembling.

"T-the Dark Lord…" Peter trailed off, a haunted look crossing his eyes. "Please, show me mercy. I joined the Dark Lord because he asked it of me—you can't go against Him! What would you have—"

"I would have died for my friends!" Sirius screamed, his voice teetering on the edge of a sob.

"**YOU MUST UNDERSTAND!**" Peter screamed, desperate, startling everyone in the room, but not as much as he startled Talia. She was suddenly scared of this man, he looked so small, and yet he'd done so much.

She couldn't help but to jump and let out a distressed yelp when he screamed, which was a grave mistake, for she was standing closely to the door—Peter's only way out.

Peter lunged with lightning fast speed that no one thought possible of him, and then he had an arm wrapped around Talia's neck, and the other wrapped around her stomach, using her as a human-shield. Talia screamed in surprise and fear, scared out of her mind at having this stranger so close to her, his warm breath hitting her ear, his arms pinning her to the front of his body. What was worse was that she had no wand, her wand still being with Sirius. It left her no other option but to kick and scream, her hands flying to the arm that was snaked around her neck with an intent to dig her nails into flesh, but the thick fabric of Peter's robes prevented her from doing any damage.

Her struggling caused Peter to tighten his hold on her neck, choking her into submission, causing sobs to leave her lips as her eyes filled with tears.

"**LET HER GO!**" screamed Remus, drawing his wand up and pointing it at Peter, a loud, furious growl erupting from his throat.

The wolf inside of him was going crazy. His pup was in danger. If Peter did not let Talia go, there would be blood, and lots of it. Remus would not stop until there was nothing left of the rat.

"Merlin," exclaimed Sirius in disbelief, shooting a worried look at a seething Remus, before drawing his eyes on Peter, "that is probably the stupidest thing you could have done!"

But Peter wasn't listening.

"L-lower your w-wands," Peter demanded in a shaky voice, looking at Sirius and Remus, and then turning to the young Gryffindors who had also taken out their wands. "Your wands!"

"Peter," growled Remus threateningly, his amber eyes turning dark.

"Your wand!" exclaimed Peter, tightening his old on Talia's neck, making a choked gasp escape her.

Remus stiffened, but slowly, never taking his eyes off Talia, lowered his wand, along with the rest of the people inside the room. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He was just a hairs width away from lunging at Peter and ripping his arms off, but he knew he couldn't do that. He needed to remain cool and collected to be able to think up a way to get that man away from his daughter.

"I can't breathe," Talia mumbled feebly, "just let me go. Please…"

Peter looked down at Talia, lessening his grip around her neck, but not enough to let her escape. "And what might your name be?" he asked, feeling confident now that "he" was calling the shots.

"None of your business," Talia mumbled softly with a glare. She was tired, oh so very tired, and she wanted to go home and sleep and just be rid of this nightmare, but it wasn't looking like things would just be over with a flick of the wrist.

Chancing a glance, Talia looked over to her father with pleading eyes, but Remus wasn't seeing her. His eyes were dark and his hands were balled up into fists at his sides, his breathing heavy with a low grumbling sound coming from deep within his chest—a growl. He was in "attack mode". The next best thing was to look over at Sirius, because Talia knew that her father wasn't there, at least not mentally.

"_Help_," she mouthed.

_What do I do_, thought Sirius, running a hand through his unkempt hair. He racked his mind for something to make Peter let her go, but he kept coming up empty handed. _What to do, what to do… We need to scare him for him to—THAT'S IT!_

"_Scare him,_" he mouthed to Talia while Peter wasn't looking.

"_How?_" mouthed Talia in return.

It only took a second for Sirius to realize that what Peter feared the most, aside from the Dark Lord, was Remus.

"_Your father_," he mouthed back, _"…werewolves._"

And just like Sirius, it only took Talia a second to realized what her uncle was talking about… but Talia being Talia, and taking everything that had been said into account, she was going to go out with a bang.

"Prince," she said softly, catching Peter's attention, "My mother. Her name is Isabella Prince. You knew her, didn't you?"

"I-Isabella?" Peter stuttered in a whisper, confused. He had seen the girl hanging around the Weasley boy during his time as a rat, he'd heard the name Snape be said in reference to her, but he'd never paid her any mind. She was just another face in the crowd, but if her mother was Isabella Prince, then that meant…

His eyes quickly darted up and away from the girl in his arms, and to Remus. The look the professor was shooting him was murderous, his pupils having dilated so much that his ambers eyes nearly looked black. The werewolf was on the defensive, ready to attack should any harm come to his pup, and Peter knew that. However, the girl in his arms couldn't be Remus' daughter, could she? Yes, he was aware of the resemblance the girl bore to the aforementioned Isabella Prince, but could it be possible that her father was the werewolf standing only feet away from him? Isabella and Remus had been together back in their school days, there was no secret about their relationship, but did that relationship bare children?

"You might also know my godparents," Talia went on, taking in a deep breath to calm her jittery nerves, "Lucius and Narcissa _Malfoy_."

"You're lying," Peter said quietly. He knew well who the Malfoys were, and their dealings in the darks arts scared him. They were purebloods—and so was he, but they were a completely different _class_ of witches and wizards—a class that Peter would _never_ be able to be a part of. They had respect, connections, money, power… and he had nothing.

"Nope," Talia said confidently, her head held high. She could feel Peter's body begin to shake, and she could smell the tang of sweat and fear that began to come off his person; she was getting to him, and this pleased her greatly.

"_Natalia_," Remus said through gritted teeth, his tone stern. He was scared, oh so very scared. If Talia made the wrong move, or said the wrong thing… he didn't even want to think about the repercussions of her actions. He had just gotten her, and he would be damned if he lost her.

Talia ignored her father's warning, saying, finally, "You should think about letting me go, _daddy_ doesn't look to happy with you right now. You wouldn't want a _werewolf_ on you, would you?"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron gasped, looking at Talia and Remus in shock.

Peter's grip began to lessen tremendously with Talia's confirmation, but it was not enough to allow her to escape, she needed to say one more thing to get him to let her go, and her mind was quickly telling her to lie.

"Then again," she began lightly, almost tauntingly, "if you don't let me go soon enough, daddy won't be the **only** werewolf you'll have to deal with tonight."

Talia's words began to sink in, and with a scared yelp, Peter threw her as far away from him as he possibly could. As Talia hit the ground rather forcefully, she screamed, not in surprise, but in pain. She'd been caught off guard and was too late in extending her arms to break her fall, so the next best thing had been to turn in midair and fall on her side. Sadly, she hadn't been careful as to how or where she'd fallen, and so upon impact, her ribs and hip had taken quite the pounding on the hardwood flooring. She could already feel a large bruise forming all along the length of her side.

"My Little One," Sirius whispered, rushing to Talia and helping her off the ground. Talia was quick to wrap her arms around him, burying her face in his tattered robes, a pained sob escaping her. The entire right side of her body hurt, and it was too much for her to handle. She cried because she was in pain, but because she was also scared, and relieved, and she just wanted her mother's comforting embrace.

It was enough for Remus to snap.

A loud growl erupted from deep within him, and his eyes flashed gold for just a moment. In a few quick strides he was right before Peter, just mere inches away from him, his wand grasped tightly in his hand and a murderous expression darkening his features.

Peter was too stunned to try to escape.

"_Never_," Remus growled lowly, raising his wand, "lay a hand on my _daughter._"

* * *

><p><strong>Fun fact: <strong>I was watching the third film, _Prisoner of Azkaban.  
><em>During the scene in the Shrieking Shack, this whole scenario came to mind.  
>So you could say this whole story (series) came about this one chapter.<p> 


	49. The Werewolf's Mate

All was quiet as the collection of wizards and witches tiredly made their way through the hidden tunnel. Some were battered and bruised, others confused, and some dragged their feet lazily behind them, but most of them were pensive. Many a great things had happened in a single evening, far more than what the average witch or wizard could handle, and some of them were slowly recovering from the shock and surprise that they had experienced moments earlier.

Remus Lupin was a father, Natalia Snape wasn't who they thought she was, Harry Potter now knew the truth, Sirius Black was not a murderer, and Peter Pettigrew was a traitorous coward.

Many secrets had been spilled on that chilly June night within the walls of a softly swaying building, and yet a great deal of things remained unsaid.

Hermione's mind was a prime example of a sponge, always absorbing any knowledge that came her way like a sponge would to water, but a silent understanding blanketed her and the few who craved all the answers—they would get the missing variables of this complex equation, but just not now, and certainly not in the presence of Peter Pettigrew.

As they walked through the tunnel, leaving the Shrieking Shack behind them (hopefully for good), calmness, warm like a mother's embrace, settled over their exhausted bodies. A feeling of finality and relief filled them, settling right underneath their skin and leaving them with an airy feeling. The night was ending.

Yet, like all calmness, at its heels would be a storm. And like Remus' mother had always told him, before a storm comes the calm, and he could feel it deep within him that he and his group were just seconds away from hitting a hurricane.

Brutus and Crookshanks led the group through the dark, damp tunnel that seemed to stretch on for miles... the Shrieking Shack _was_ in Hogsmeade after all, and it was no short walk from the little wizarding town up to the castle. Behind the two creatures were Remus, Peter, and a limping Ron, the latter having had his injured leg put in a temporary splint by Remus. Peter, dragging his feet between the werewolf and ginger, was shackled to ensure that he would not escape. His left wrist was shackled to Remus' right, while his right wrist was shackled to Ron's left. Behind them were Sirius and Harry, and behind them were Talia and Hermione, their arms locked with one another as they talked quietly about summer dresses and visiting each other over the holidays.

The unconscious, floating body of Severus Snape brought up the rear. The Potions Master was going to be furious upon gaining consciousness, and so it had been a unanimous decision to not use a reawakening charm on him, and let him sleep until they reached the castle.

Soon, the group found themselves at the base of stone steps, and the sound of creaking wood that came from up above told them that the Whomping Willow had regained its movement once more. They hesitated for a moment, but Brutus and Crookshanks were quick to act; furry paws pressed the knot at the base of the Willow's trunk, and only then did the group slowly begin to emerge from the hidden passageway.

The group remained quiet as they began to drift. Remus, Peter, and Ron walked off in the direction of the castle, only managing to get about twenty feet away from the Willow before having to stop to allow Ron a chance to rest his leg. Sirius and Harry had walked off a few ways away from the tree for some privacy, godson and godfather talking quietly to one another and laughing, while Hermione and Talia lingered around the passageway with their pets playing at their feet.

Severus had been placed on the ground a few feet away from the girls, and every so often Talia would glance over at the unconscious form of her uncle, and cringe. She was in for an earful when he'd wake up, and she was not looking forward for when that time would come.

"Sirius," called Remus, waiting for his friend (and Harry) to be a few feet away from him before saying, "I'd like to have a word with you."

Sirius gave Remus an inquisitive look, but said nothing.

After having the shackle that bound him to Peter removed, Ron limped off towards the Willow with an arm thrown over Harry's shoulder. Once the boys were out of earshot, did Remus speak again.

"I'm going to _obliviate_ him," he said seriously, causing Peter to let out a scared moan.

"Whatever for?" asked Sirius curiously, not even sparing Peter a glance.

"He mustn't know about Talia's relation to me—_no one_ must know. If the wrong person were to find out that a werewolf is her father then… well, you know."

"So she is to remain a Snape? I thought—"

"You thought wrong, my friend," said Remus with a sad smile. "It's for the best, no matter how much I long for her to be a Lupin. Being a Snape keeps her protected and that is all that I want for her."

Sirius gave him a knowing look, before nodding his head in agreement. He understood what Remus was trying to say, and he agreed wholeheartedly. He knew what some people would to do half-breeds, and he would die before any harm befell Talia. He could not let his Little One be the victim of a hate-crime, and as much as he did not like the thought of Remus being unable to show the world that he had a daughter, he agreed with him.

Being a Snape was safer than being a Lupin, at least for now.

But of course, Peter would not have his memories erased without at least having a say in the matter, and he was quick to beg, "I won't tell a soul, Remus, just please—**please** don't _obliviate_ me."

Sirius scoffed, looking down his nose at Peter, saying, "As if your opinion matters."

"Remus, _please,_" the man begged, but Remus just shook his head, glaring down at him.

"You touched my daughter, and you hurt her," said Remus lowly, his voice turning hoarse, "Be thankful that I did not rip your arms out of their sockets."

With that said, Remus raised his wand with a shaky hand, pointing it at Peter's forehead before saying softly, "_Obliviate_."

Peter felt the brief intrusion of a second party in his mind, and he tried in vain to keep the memory of Remus' daughter in his thoughts because he knew that it was valuable information that could prove useful in the future, but then his mind suddenly went blank, and he could not remember what he'd been thinking about. He was confused for just a moment, but then he brushed it aside, for he had bigger things to worry about.

It was then that the full moon decided to come out of its hiding place. The clouds in the sky obscuring it from view parted, and the bright beams of moonlight shown down on the castle grounds.

Remus and Talia immediately felt its pull, and reacted accordingly.

Talia had been telling Hermione, Ron, and Harry about her plans for the summer before she stiffened, stopped talking midsentence, and looked up. Never had she been this close to the moon before. Her mother had always kept her indoors, away from the moon's light, and she'd never understood why, but now that she stood outside with moonbeams directly hitting her, dancing across her skin, did she understand why Isabella had shielded her from the brilliantly glowing orb up in the night sky.

Even though Talia did not transform into a beast, she still had Remus' blood—**werewolf **blood running through her veins, and the wolf began to emerge, making its presence known in her thoughts.

Her pupils dilated so much that everything was clearer, sharper, and more vibrant, but her irises now appeared to be completely black, like the eyes of an animal. Her hearing now exceeded that of a normal human, and her nose scrunched up as a wave of smells suddenly crashed against her senses. She could smell everything, far and near, from the scabbing cut on Hermione's cheek, to the scent of burning candle wax that wafted down from the castle. Her skin was also suddenly highly sensitive; her body being hyperaware of every hair follicle on her body and every strand of fabric covering her, and this sudden explosion of feelings and senses made her whimper in pain.

The smells, the sounds, the lights and sights, the feelings—it was all too strong, and all too much. Talia's head began to ache and there was a pounding behind her eyes, and her lungs felt as if they were about to explode as she struggled to breathe. Tremors began to shake her form, and she wanted to rip the clothes off her back to stop the irritating sensation of skin rubbing against fabric…

For Remus, it started with goose bumps pebbling his skin, making all the hairs on his body stand on end, and then came the pain. Blinding hot, like a flash of boiling heat all throughout his veins. A proper scream couldn't even leave his lips; instead the choked sound of a sob could be heard coming from deep within his throat.

Sirius was the first to react. Upon seeing the change, he quickly grabbed Remus' wand from his trembling hand and pointed it at the shackle that bound him to Peter, unlocking it quickly with a loud clang.

A chain reaction ensued soon after that.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione slowly began to back away from Talia's shaking form. They had noticed the sudden change in their Slytherin friend and had been confused for just a moment before remembering that there was a full moon above them.

"Guys," Talia said hoarsely, her voice quivering, finally looking down from the moon. She reached a hand out to them, to ask them silently for help, but the three ignored her silent plea and kept backing away from her. Ron had even drawn his wand, just in case, for Talia's words from before echoed in his mind.

_"… daddy won't be the __**only**__ werewolf you'll have to deal with tonight."_

"Sirius," Harry managed to call, not daring to remove his eyes from Talia as his hand slowly sank into his pocket. He was going to follow Ron's example and take out his wand, as was Hermione, just in case the need for it arrived. He sincerely hoped it wouldn't.

Sirius did not answer back, for he had his own problem to deal with.

"Remus, listen to me," he pleaded with his friend, dropping the wand in his hand to grip properly his friend's hunched shoulders, "Remus, you have too… Remus, _please!"_

Remus was gone. In his place was a man slowly loosing himself to an animal, and the sight nearly brought tears to Sirius' eyes.

While panic gripped Sirius, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Peter was slyly inching towards Remus' discarded wand that Sirius had dropped.

"Sirius!" Harry called once more. This time he dared to tear his eyes away from Talia, to see what was keeping his godfather from helping him and his friends; he saw that his professor was hunched over in what appeared to be pain, and that Sirius was holding him, trying and failing to keep the eminent transformation at bay.

"Harry, look!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly, and Harry quickly turned to look at her, but saw that she was staring in the direction of Remus and Sirius, Ron being the only one looking at Talia now. "Pettigrew's going for the wand!"

As Harry turned to look back at his godfather, and professor, he faintly heard Ron say, "Why isn't Talia transforming?"

_Why wasn't she transforming,_ indeed? But upon seeing Peter throw himself on the ground and hold up a wand triumphantly, Talia was the least of Harry's worries.

"We have to do something!"

Harry and Hermione made a run for it.

It was already too late.

Before Harry and Hermione's eyes, Peter pointed the wand at himself and mumbled a spell before dropping it. He'd been enchanted earlier, to prevent him from changing back into his animagus form, but with the counter-enchantment now cast on his body, he promptly began to shrink, transforming into the familiar form of a plump, brown garden rat. The rat then naturally began to run, and Harry could have easily captured it with a well-aimed spell, but Hermione had grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, swinging him around so that he faced her.

"He's not important!"

"What do you mean—"

"Look!" yelled Hermione, pointing at Talia.

The small Slytherin was now on the ground, her body shaking and her eyes rolled back. She was having a seizure.

"She's convulsing, but she's not transforming," said Hermione, her eyes filled with concern for her friend. "She lied about her being a werewolf!"

"We need to get out of here!" yelled Ron as he limped toward his friends.

Hermione was about to protest, she was going to say that they could not just leave Talia laying on the ground, but a black shadow cloaked them suddenly, and Severus' dark eyes looked down at them with white-hot anger.

"You three, meddling—"

"**REMUS!**" Sirius' scream interrupted Severus, making him look away from the three Gryffindors before him and up to where the Azkaban escapee stood. Severus immediately paled as he saw Remus hunched over, his mouth open in a silent scream.

"Where is she?" Severus asked the Gryffindors urgently, "Where is Talia?"

"O-over there," Ron stuttered, lifting his arm and pointing towards where Talia lay on the ground.

Severus would have run to Talia, to lift her off the ground and stop her seizure—he had a small phial of Wolfsbane in his pocket that would sooth her, but a raw, animalistic scream filled the night sky, preventing Severus from going anywhere.

The hurting was too much for Remus. His mind was a blank, the only thing running through him being pain. His body was undergoing the painful process of transformation, and despite this being nothing new, it always hurt, and he was never quite ready for it.

The sickening sound of bones breaking filled Remus' ears, and the screams that began to leave his mouth were inevitable. Immediately after breaking, his bones began to rearrange themselves, elongating his limbs, twisting and snapping into their new place. His internal organs were punctured during the process, and blood pooled in his mouth, nearly choking him.

His spine broke itself and for a moment, Remus couldn't feel his legs and nearly collapsed, but the blissful numbness only lasted no longer than a second before he was assaulted with the painful feeling of his legs twisting and turning, taking on a more canine shape.

His skin began to stretch to accommodate his growing form, and it ripped and mended itself back together only to rip again as the strain of a new form took its toll. Razor sharp claws broke free from his nail beds, and from his gums exploded jagged, canine fangs.

…And Remus cried. He screamed, cried, and wailed into the night, and for a moment, he was unable to scream because his jaw had broken to accommodate a snout, but once that was over, he screamed once more before his scream turned into a pained howl, and Remus Lupin, the wizard, was no more.

Sirius found himself standing before shredded clothes and a whimpering werewolf. The creature before him was hunched over, nearly curled in on itself. It was thin, and large, covered in a fine layer of dark fur, and looked like a battered, scared dog—but Sirius' knew better than to approach it.

It did not stop him from trying to reach his friend, though.

"Remus," he said softly.

The werewolf whimpered, trembling in pain as it slowly grew accustomed to its new form. Cautiously, the werewolf began backing away from Sirius, and it made Sirius confident.

"Mooney," Sirius tried, taking a step forward and extending a hand, but he quickly jumped backwards, for the werewolf— _Remus_, slashed the air with a massive paw, growling threateningly.

The transformation was complete, and it left a very pissed off werewolf in its wake, a werewolf that had now noticed that Sirius wasn't the only one on the field.

"Run! Run back to the castle!" Sirius yelled back to Harry and the others, before promptly turning into a dog and tackling Remus to prevent him from getting near his godson and the others.

Nobody moved.

Sirius was thrown in the air, his smaller form being no match for the werewolf. He landed on a rock and let out a loud whimper, but then he rose up and lunged at Remus again, landing on Remus' back. The two animals fought and at one point, it looked like Sirius had gained the upper hand, but Remus threw him into the air once more, and Sirius landed on the ground, several feet away, semi-unconscious and no longer important to the werewolf.

Remus stood still for a moment, sniffing the air and twitching. His whole body then suddenly stiffened and his nostrils flared as a familiar scent filled his senses, and before anyone knew what was happening, he turned and was running. He ran past Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Severus, and skidded to a stop before the convulsing body of Talia. No one said a word as they watched, transfixed with the scene that was rapidly unfolding before them.

Talia had bitten down on her tongue. Her mouth had filled with blood and she was slowly choking, and Remus, even in his frazzled mind, could see this. The werewolf ducked its head and began to sniff Talia's face before nudging her cheek with his snout, hoping that she'd react, but nothing happened, and he began to worry. His pup was in danger, and he did not know what to do to save her. A frustrated growl ripped out of his throat, and he began to pace around her body, walking around her twice before he sat down on his hind legs. He rested a massive paw on her chest and nudged her; blood fell down from the corner of her mouth with the movement, and the rational part of the werewolf's mind realized what he had to do.

With his large head, the werewolf flipped Talia over so that she was resting on her side, and with two paws, he held her in place. All the blood in her mouth rapidly emptied, falling down to the ground, and Talia, though still convulsing, was no longer choking.

Suddenly, a loud bark pierced the air, and the werewolf turned its head to the side. A territorial growl left him as he caught sight of an Arctic Wolf standing mere feet away from him and his pup.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked on in a mix of confusion and wonder, but it was Severus who broke the silence by softly saying, "Isabella."

The white wolf paid Severus no mind. Her topaz eyes were trained on the werewolf that stood before her. She stood perfectly still, allowing the werewolf to catch her scent and see that she meant him no harm. His nose twitched, and she knew that he recognized her, but she waited for just a moment longer before approaching him, just to be sure he didn't think her an enemy.

The werewolf was upon her instantly; sniffing her, nipping at her neck, licking her snout, stomping his paws on the ground happily. His stubby, short little tail began wagging excitedly, and he released a loud howl. The white wolf barked at him before licking his snout in return, and she then looked over towards Severus, her eyes narrowing just a fraction of an inch, before she took off running into the Forbidden Forest, the werewolf hot on her trial.

"That was Talia's mum, wasn't it," said Hermione softly, not waiting for Severus to answer her before she asked, "Why didn't Professor Lupin attack her?"

"Because," said Severus through gritted teeth as he quickly flocked to Talia, his hand reaching into his pocket for the small phial of Wolfsbane, "she is his _mate_, and a werewolf _never_ goes against its family."


	50. Aftermath

The only beings that were safe against a werewolf were their kin, and that meant that Isabella, the bearer of Remus' mark, had nothing to worry about, but she was not about to let her guard down because of a scar on the back of her neck. She stayed in her animagus form, running deep into the forest with Remus at her heels. They played, and barked, and howled, and acted like playful puppies, but most importantly, Isabella was distracting him. She needed to get Remus away from the others to prevent him from becoming territorial and attacking, and it hurt her to not be able to tend to her daughter, but she knew that Severus was taking care of her, and it made her feel slightly better about the situation.

If only she could talk to Remus, to ask him why he'd left his cup of Wolfsbane untouched on his desk, but the werewolf was king tonight, and she knew that she and he were in for a long night.

She stopped running after making sure they were deep enough in the Forbidden Forest that she was sure Remus' attention would be completely on her and nothing else, and then, hesitantly, she transformed. She stood before the werewolf as a human, and the sudden change caused the wolf to take a startled step back, away from her. He began to snarl and growl, digging his claws into the dirt anxiously. Isabella stood her ground, her heart beating wildly in her chest and her hand grasping her wand tightly.

"Remus," she said softly, staring at the werewolf before her, "do you know who I am?"

The werewolf growled. He began walking circles around her, sniffing her, and even going as far as to nudge her side with his snout, and Isabella remained still, knowing that any sort of movement could possible end in her death, or in a bite.

"Please," she breathed, her hands beginning to shake nervously. "Sweetheart, it's me—Izzy..."

The werewolf circled her once more before settling down in front of her, his head cocked to the side and his amber eyes glowing as he stared her down. His nostrils flared and a grunt escaped his throat, and then suddenly his face was inches away from hers, and Isabella held her breath.

The werewolf sniffed her once before nudging her cheek with his nose, and Isabella breathed a sigh of relief. He recognized her.

"Sweetheart," she cooed once more, this time without fear, and the pet name caused the werewolf to shake his stubby tail and lie on the ground before her, exposing his stomach for her to stroke, and Isabella let out a joyous laugh.

* * *

><p>It was early in the morning when Remus Lupin regained consciousness, and his whole body felt as if pins and needles were digging into his skin. There was a loud ringing in his ears, and when he tried to open his eyes he was blinded by bright lights that forced him to keep his eyes shut, but that would soon go away after a couple of minutes, as it always did. He stayed as still as possible, allowing his sore body to get used to being without the werewolf; it was like coming down from a high and he needed time to feel normal, to not feel the wolf. He let his mind wander and it was then that he became aware that he was lying somewhere outdoors, naked, and by the stinging sensation on certain parts of his skin and face, he knew he'd given himself more scars… but none of that mattered. He had no complete memory of what he'd done the night before, and the familiar feeling of worry consumed him.<p>

What had he done? More importantly, had he hurt anyone?

Flashes of images danced across his head, none of them making sense. He saw a body laying on the ground, blood, pale skin, and the full moon.

The ringing in his ears soon came down and the soft sound of humming nearly smothered him. It was a random tune with no specific meaning, but he knew whose voice it belonged to, and that knowledge was enough to make him push his tired body into moving. He'd been laying on his back, and he could feel the tough, grainy texture of dirt underneath him. Slowly he turned to his side, and once more tried to open his eyes. His vision was blurred and the bright morning sunshine stung his blue eyes, but it wasn't as strong as before, and all he had to do was blink rapidly to clear his vision.

The humming stopped and he stilled for a moment, breathing heavily to try to catch his breath. His limbs felt as if they weighed millions of stones and it hurt when the dirt skirted across his sensitive skin, but he just bit his lips to stop the pained sounds of hurt from escaping him.

He managed to sit up finally, even though it took him various tries.

"I was worried, you know?" said the light voice of Isabella, making Remus look up. She stood a couple of feet away from him with a blanket in her arms, looking ragged, with smudges of dirt on her face and robes. "I entered your office last night expecting to see you waiting for me. We were supposed to go running like we used too whenever there was a full moon… but you weren't there. You're office was in disarray, and your potion lay untouched—why didn't you drink your potion?"

"I…" Remus rasped, his throat raw, "I saw their names on the map, and I left as quickly as I could. I know it was foolish of me, but—"

"It's alright," Isabella hushed him, "I understand. Do you need help?"

"Yes, please," he said hoarsely, and it was only then that Isabella approached him, getting on her knees beside him and wrapping the blanket around his shoulders to provide him with warmth and a cover against the elements.

Remus winced.

"I'm sorry," Isabella apologized quickly. "I forgot how sensitive your skin can be the morning after."

"I'm alright," he said lowly, shutting his eyes and taking in a deep breath. Isabella's powdery scent of lavender instantly filled him, calming his senses and making him feel better, and it drove away all the bad thoughts that were coursing through his thoughts.

"You didn't hurt anyone, you know," Isabella said softly, knowing that that would be the first thought in Remus' mind. A soft chuckle left her lips as she said, "Quite the contrary, really. You prevented Talia from choking."

"What?" Remus asked in disbelief.

"You transformed, while Talia had a seizure," began Isabella gently, "She bit her tongue and began choking on her blood since she was lying on her back, but you… you turned her over."

"I… what?" Remus still couldn't believe it.

"You saved her," Isabella said with a grateful smile. "I can't really explain it and I don't think anyone really can, but… the werewolf, he sensed that his pup was in danger, and he helped her."

Remus was stunned.

"Thank you for saving our daughter's life," Isabella said softly, before leaning in, and kissing his cheek. Her lips lingered for a moment, and then all too soon they were off his flesh.

Remus was beside himself

"You're welcome..."

* * *

><p>The trip up to the castle was slow, with many stops along the way to allow Remus a chance to catch his breath. As they walked, Isabella told him of Talia, who was currently in the hospital wing resting, Hermione keeping her company. She told him about Ron, who was recovering quickly and would be running again in a day or two, and she told him of how Sirius had been captured... and how he had escaped just moments before Ministry officials could reach him. She also told him with a heavy heart that Peter had managed to escape, and that she was worried because the rat knew too much, but Remus gave her a bit of hope when he informed her that he'd <em>obliviated <em>Peter before his transformation, erasing any traces of Talia being his daughter from the rat's thoughts.

Upon finally reaching the school, they went their separate ways after softly spoken goodbyes; Isabella was off to her house to get a shower and a change of clothes, and Remus went up to his quarters to do the same.

Despite being in pain, Remus had a small smile on his face as he walked the empty halls of Hogwarts, thankful that it was early enough in the morning that students were still sleeping so that no one could see him walking down the halls with nothing but a blanket wrapped around him. He could still remember Isabella's soft lips on his cheek, and the way her powdery scent soothed his senses, and he made himself a promise, right then and there, that he'd get her back no matter what.

He was done living his life without her in it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>The end is nigh...


	51. Perfect

It shouldn't have surprised him, the man absolutely hated him after all, but Remus was still left stunned when Albus had knocked on his door and told him that Severus Snape had informed the Slytherins of the presence of a werewolf in the castle. The Slytherins of course had spread the word, and now all of Hogwarts knew that their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was a beast.

Albus gave Remus a choice: to stay in the castle as a professor and go about his normal business, or to leave to avoid any trouble—Remus had decided to resign. He didn't want to deal with the Ministry, who had surely gotten a report about last night's incident and his involvement in it, and he did not want to deal with the barrage of owls that would come pouring in once the students began to send letters home, informing their parents that a werewolf was their teacher.

No, it was just better to resign quietly and avoid all the attention that would be placed on him if he stayed.

_It was nice while it lasted_, Remus thought as he walked around his office, collecting what few things he owned and putting them in boxes. He moved slowly, memorizing every crack in the walls that surrounded him, the smell of old musty books, the light that filtered in through the opened window. He had called Hogwarts home, and he wanted to remember it—down to the last detail.

A knock on his office door made him pause, and the pile of books he'd been struggling with was promptly set down on his desk. His arms hurt, and he walked with a limp—he could feel a sheen of sweat on his face, and he hated how drained he was; both emotionally and physically. He just wanted to sleep, to curl up in bed and wake up to find that this entire nightmare had been just that—a nightmare.

Merlin, how he hated the day after a full moon.

"Hey," Isabella said softly as she stepped in, wearing a clean set of robes and looking refreshed. She looked around the office for a moment before noticing that Remus was packing. "Packing for the summer, I see," she said lightly, a small smile on her face.

"More like packing for good, I'm afraid," Remus reply, cursing how miserable he sounded.

Isabella furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, asking, "What do you mean—_for good?"_

"My time here has come to a close," he said softly, giving Isabella a small smile. "I've decided to resign."

"Why would you do that?" Isabella asked in disbelief, stepping towards him. "I thought you liked teaching? You've done a marvelous job from what Talia has told me. Why would you resign?"

It was Remus' turn to furrow his eyebrows in confusion, asking, "You haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" Isabella asked, "I've just come from the hospital wing, I've been there since I came back from home; Talia's just woken up and sent me to come get you… did something happen?"

Remus sighed, leaning against his desk. He could feel his hands shaking as he said, "Severus told everyone of my… condition. It's only a matter of time before the owls start swooping in, and I'm not up for dealing with that kind of excitement so soon after a lunar cycle. You know how parents are—they would not want a werewolf teaching their children."

Isabella was silent. She stood still, staring at Remus in disbelief, unable to believe what he'd just told her… but it was just like Severus to burn someone like that.

Isabella now understood why Severus had been avoiding her when she went to seek him out earlier. He **knew** that she would not let this slide, and he was hiding to save himself from the wrath that she'd bring down on him.

"I'll kill him," she said suddenly, a serious expression on her face. Her brows furrowed angrily as she said, "How dare he tell everyone a secret that does not belong to him!"

She was out of Remus' office in seconds, and Remus was right behind her, leaving his cane behind and limping as fast as he could. Isabella had made it to the classroom door when Remus managed to grab her wrist, and then he spun her around so quickly that she didn't even have time to protest. His lips were on hers in seconds, her back met the door, and everything else seemed to fade away.

It was just Isabella and Remus, and his arms wrapped around her, pressing her close to his body. They fit together perfectly, like a puzzle, and Isabella realized how much she still loved him, how much she missed him, how much she wanted to be with him. She poured her heart and soul into the kiss, clinging to him and afraid of what would happen should she let go.

When Remus stepped back for air, Isabella whimpered, her bottom lip quivering.

He was breathing hard on her neck, resting his forehead on her shoulder, holding her close and with obvious intentions of never letting her go. Remus had waited so long to touch her like this, to just hold her and revel in her essence, and he hoped that his intentions were made clear with that kiss, that he was not going to let her leave. Not now, not never.

"Remus," Isabella said softly, out of breath, her arms around his neck, her hands shaking. She was through with playing games, with denying herself what she truly wanted.

"Isabella—"

"I love you."

The words were spoken so softly, so gently, that Remus was surprised he even caught them. Isabella began to tremble and tears began to cascade down her eyes, and despite the fact that she was so obviously upset, she kept repeated those three little words over and over, as if to convince both herself and Remus that she had said them, and that they were true. She was done lying to him, and to herself.

"I love you, I still love you, I never stopped," she said with a gasp, "I should have never left you. I'm so sorry. We've lost so much time that could have been spent together, all because of my selfish—"

"You're perfect, Isabella," Remus found himself saying, making Isabella look up at him with narrowed eyes.

"How can you say that after all—"

"When I call someone perfect," he said softly, running a hand through her hair tenderly, "it doesn't mean that I think they have no flaws, it doesn't mean I think they're the most attractive person on the planet, it doesn't mean I think they've never made any mistakes. When I call someone perfect, it means I love them wholly and entirely despite anything and everything, and that, to me, is perfect."

Isabella was at a loss for words, but she soon realized that words needn't be spoken. Remus loved her, and he was perfect.

She held onto him for dear life, breathing in his comforting scent, getting goose bumps at the feel of his fingers on her skin. This was what she wanted—what **they both** wanted. Being in each other's arms, it was perfect, it was home.

"Never let me go, Remus," Isabella whispered softly, nuzzling his neck with her nose, leaving kisses underneath his jaw.

Remus' arms tightened around her, and softly he spoke, right before bringing his lips down on hers, "Never."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>THE END.

On to the epilogue!


	52. Epilogue: Paradise

_Sera,_

_I do believe the last time I sent you a letter was last month—I'm so sorry for not having sent you anything sooner, really, I am. Things have just been so hectic over here; with Talia, with Severus, with Remus…_

_Speaking of Remus, do you remember how in my last letter I said that he and I had set up a sort of correspondence? All on a friendly basis, of course. He'd ask me how my day was, we'd talk about silly little things, we'd reminisce—well, we've gone past that stage now. He kissed me, and told me he loved me. Merlin, there were so many tears, but it was perfect. We're a couple now, but we haven't told anyone yet, not even Talia. We want this relationship to grown and settle and just… we don't want to make a mistake, or rush things. I don't know if I could bare to live without him if something were to happen._

_There's also that thing with Severus and I being "married," which prevents Remus and I from making anything public. It's nothing we can't work around, but I still have to keep up appearances, for Talia's sake. I can't put my wants and needs before her safety; what kind of mother would I be if I did? Thankfully, Remus understands that, and even enforces it. He's grown to love Talia so much that it would simply kill him if something were to happen to our daughter because of him._

_Then there is Severus… where do I even begin with that arse? You do remember, long ago, how I would write to you about the things that happened while he and I were in school? Well, it seems that Severus' childhood grudge against Remus and Sirius came back threefold. He told his students, who then told everyone else, that Remus is a werewolf. When I confronted him he wouldn't tell me why he did such a thing, but I __**know**__ him._

_Sirius got away, and that burned Severus._

_I know right now you're probably confused about the whole "Sirius getting away" thing, but fear not, just keep reading..._

_Anyways, Albus of course didn't care that Remus is a werewolf, you know he isn't like that—he let Remus stay in school as a professor, but Remus… Remus resigned. He didn't want to deal with all the attention that would be placed on him, the Ministry would be sure to get involved, and then there are the parents. Students would start sending letters home, informing their mothers and fathers that a werewolf was their teacher and you know how that would have ended. Not many people are as understanding as we are._

_I nearly killed him—Severus. Our cousin is an idiot, Sera. Sometimes I wish he'd just go away and just… I don't know. I've stopped talking to him, and so has Talia upon finding out what he did. If he thinks that I'll forgive him so easily for this then he is dead wrong. Because of his stupid grudge, Remus is without a job and will have to go back home to live with his mother! It breaks my heart. I can't believe Severus would do something out of spite—wait a minute, scratch that. You and I both __**know**__ Severus would do something out of spite._

_Moving on, have you heard about Sirius (aside from what I mentioned)? It's all over newsstands—the tale of how he was captured, only to escape moments before Ministry officials came to retrieve him to subject him to the Dementor's Kiss. He left without a trace, but a time-turner was involved… but you did not hear that from me, and you better not mention anything to anyone! I'll send you the details later._

_Of course, you know Sirius is innocent; that damned Peter Pettigrew escaped at the last minute and he's nowhere to be found! Poor Sirius… he was so close to getting his reprieve, but now he's back to being a wanted man for a crime he did not commit. That man can't seem to catch a break—which brings me to the real reason I'm writing to you. Yes, I know that I owe you a letter since I haven't written in so long, but what I'm about to tell you is of utmost importance._

_Albus and I—we need your help..._

* * *

><p>It was a calm summer day on the little <em>Isle of Corvus. <em>Seraphina was out on the beach, wading in the shallow tide pools. She had a netted bag resting on her hip filled halfway with an assortment of seashells she'd gathered that morning, and currently she was scourging the pools for a pretty purple conch shell.

It was a hobby of hers, to collect seashells. Ever since she could remember, she'd spend her summers out on the beach, risking sunburn on her fair skin, all to gather little seashells that she could make into necklaces or whatever else her heart desired.

Today, she was just doing it to occupy her mind and to settle her nerves. Her cousin's written words echoed in her thoughts. They were not bad or life threatening, but they left a lot to think about. Poor Remus, without a job and probably humiliated—damn Severus, but then again her cousin had always been an arse. She did not understand how Isabella could stand living with him.

Seraphina had hexed him once while she'd stayed at Spinner's End for the summer, and had returned home three days before her portkey was due to take her back because she just couldn't stand being in his presence anymore. It had been the longest two weeks of her life. That man was just a handful, but he was an exceptional father figure, Seraphina would give him that. Severus cared dearly for little Talia; it was about the only thing that made him… human.

A familiar shriek from up above caused Seraphina to put down the pink starfish she'd been examining. She tilted her head back and spotted a large, black figure gliding across the blue sky on leathery wings.

It was Foxy, her flying fox.

"Is he with you?" she called up to her pet and most trusted friend.

The megabat shrieked once more before taking off in the direction of the manor house that overlooked the beach, but not before swooping low and dropping a large, gray hippogriff feather in Seraphina's outstretched hands.

Her guest had arrived.

* * *

><p>He'd been flying for days before he saw it—a gigantic bat with a six-foot wingspan. He'd nearly fallen off Buckbeak in surprise and mild horror when the creature had swooped down low and dropped a seashell on his head to get his attention. Isabella had warned him about her cousin's… eccentric choice in pet, and he hadn't really believed her when she'd said that a bat would be his guide, but here he was, being led to a small unplottable island that he'd never heard of.<p>

Two days had passed since he began to follow the bat, and it was then that he saw the small island that would be his home until something more secure could be established in London, and so far, he liked what he saw.

The island was surrounded by clear, aqua seas, filled with colorful coral reefs. A white beach that sparkled underneath the midday sun enclosed the island, the grains of sand looking like white little diamonds from up above. Lush, vividly green vegetation made up the center, and on a low hilltop, overlooking the ocean, stood a very elegant and open manor house painted a very light shade of blue with white trim. The back of the manor was partway on the sandy beach, while the rest was on rolling fields of green grass that led into the island's rainforest.

There were other buildings near the manor house, smaller in size, and painted in the same color scheme. One of the buildings appeared to be a very sizable greenhouse with crystal roofs, while the other appeared to be an owlery. However, rather than owls coming and going from the building, Sirius could have sworn he saw a large, bright red macaw, and even a toucan, both birds carrying small parcels.

There was a sort of magic bubble that surrounded the island, adding to its sparkling beauty and allure. It wasn't physically visible, but Sirius could feel it deep in his bones as he grew closer. It made the island seem like so much more...

In short, Sirius found himself looking down at paradise.

Once flying above the island, the bat led him down to an empty paddock surrounded by white fencing that was a few ways away from the manor. Buckbeak landed heavily, flapping his wings and shaking his head wearily, tired of the nonstop flying he'd done for the past couple of days.

The first thing Sirius did was jump off Buckbeak and let his bare feet enjoy the feeling of cool grass between his toes. He leaned back against the hippogriff's side, letting out a tired sigh and looking up at the bat that glided above him, one of Buckbeak's feathers in its claws.

Merlin, he was so tired.

"Is you Missus' guest?" a tiny voice suddenly questioned Sirius, making him jump in surprise.

Beside him stood a little house elf wearing a pink tea towel, looking up at him curiously through large, clear eyes. Sirius noticed that the little elf wore a white seashell on a string around its neck, the letter "M" carved into the shell.

"Is your Missus, Seraphina Corvus?" Sirius asked in return, quirking an eyebrow in question.

The little elf nodded its head, beaming. "I is Mitzy, I am! Come come! Missus told us you's be coming soon."

"What about my friend here?" Sirius asked, patting Buckbeak's flank.

"Birdie can stay here," the little elf smiled, gesturing to the paddock. "The others will come to care for Birdie!"

Sirius assumed that these "others" were other house elves, and so after a nod, he let the house elf lead him out of the paddock and towards the manor house. As he walked behind the elf, he allowed his eyes to take in the serene sights that surrounded him. He could see himself living in a place like this, enjoying the beach during the warmer months, playing in the water, exploring the rainforest, all without a care in the word and without having to worry about being spotted and sent away. He understood now why Albus had made him fly nearly halfway across the world. This little island was safe and hard to get to if you didn't know your way—it was the perfect hiding place.

"By Merlin's ravens, Foxy, if you don't stop that, I'll eat all your fruit!" an annoyed, feminine voice suddenly exclaimed, making Sirius snap his head in the direction from which the voice had come from.

Walking towards him, up from the hill that led down to the beach, was a woman. She had short, vivid red hair that stuck up in an organized mess, and the clearest sea-green eyes that Sirius had ever seen. Her petite body was covered in flowing white fabric, and she was barefoot. She wore various golden bangles on her wrists, and even some on her ankles that chimed when she took a step. Hanging off her shoulder was a netted bag that, from what Sirius could see, contained various different kinds of seashells, along with a wand.

The woman's slender neck was bare, but she had large, dangling earrings swaying from her ears that came down and brushed the tops of her shoulders, and as she drew nearer, Sirius noticed a hooped nose ring on her left nostril.

She was quite the sight, waving her arms in the air above her head to prevent the large bat from taking off with the sunglasses that she'd pushed on the top of her head.

She was an unconventional beauty, and Sirius liked what he saw, very much.

"**_Fucking shit_**, Foxy! Stop it! I swear to all that is holy if you don't stop pestering me I will ship you off to China! I hear they eat bats there!"

That seemed to do it, for the large bat gave a grunt and flew off towards the rainforest, taking refuge on a high branch in a very leafy fruit tree.

_Oh yes_, Sirius thought with a little smirk, _this woman and I will get along just fine..._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>_Book 1: Reveal Your Secrets_ is officially finished.  
>Now on to the sequel, <strong><em>Book 2: New Beginnings.<em>**

**PS:** I've written a spin-off, titled: _Interlude: Isle of Corvus.  
><em>It is meant to be read alongside Book 2, and will detail the relationship between Seraphina and Sirius.  
>I <strong>really<strong> suggest you read it.

_For more details, feel free to PM me._


End file.
